Witness
by Jordyn D
Summary: Crime in the city of Atlanta... and Bo is smack dab in the middle of it...
1. While you were away

**_Hi everyone...ok it's been a while, but here is a brand new story...it proves to be a long one with lots of twists and turns. So make sure you have your tissues handy and stick around. As always please review. It is such an encouragement and I value what you think..._**

**_Nope I don't own 'em..._**

**_This is dedicated to my RP family and friends...love yas..._**

****

Bo Duke had never been one to follow directions. Tonight was no exception. It had been a productive day- despite the fact that Bo hated being on his own- and on his own he was.

Jesse had been at the farm only long enough to do the morning chores with Bo before taking off again. Old Mr. Jenkin's farm had been hit hard in the last spring storm. Good neighbor as he was, Jesse had gone to help repair the damaged barn doors and clean up the fallen limbs around the yard. Daisy was off having a girls' weekend with some friends and Luke was acting as substitute chief mechanic for a racing buddy in Indianapolis, his own having had a family emergency that took him away just before a big race. Luke had hated to leave the farm, what with getting ready for planting and all, but the money he would earn would help the Duke's out of a pinch; besides, he owed his buddy a favor. So, taking the General Lee with him, he had left the farm with the plans to return six weeks later with his wallet fuller.

Bo meanwhile had had to resort to borrowing a loaner from Cooter. Normally, he wouldn't mind giving up the General. Of course, normally Luke would only be gone for a weekend at the most…and normally the two would have parted on better terms…

* * *

"Dang it Bo! Will ya listen t' yerself! Ya ain't even makin' sense!" pleaded Luke as he packed his suitcase. 

"Oh, I'm makin' sense! I'm makin' plenty of sense!"

"Bo, I don't even like Becky Sue…"

"Oh sure you don't…an' I spose it's just a big coincidence that the day after she calls it off with me I catch her kissin' on you!" yelled Bo, his voice etched with hurt.

"She was tellin' me goodbye…that's all…b'sides she ain't my type."

Bo scoffed. "Like that ever stopped ya before!"

Luke glared at his cousin. "Just what's that s'posed t' mean?"

Bo met his glare. "You know dang well what it means…"

Luke was shaking with anger but he bit his lip and continued packing, knowing if he let himself speak he would say things he'd regret.

Bo never had learned the art of thinking before he spoke. "Truth hurts don't it cousin? An' we all know if you can have somethin' that was mine, makes it even better don't it?!"

"Bo, do us all a favor an' shut up," said Luke in a low voice.

"Oh, I'll do better than that!" He fished the keys from his pocket and whipped them at Luke taking pleasure in the fact that he knew that as hard as he threw them it had to hurt a little when they hit his arm. "Ya took my girl…take my car too…or maybe you'd like my money?" He dug out his wallet. "Here…" He threw a couple dollars at him.

Luke rolled his eyes as he picked up the keys and rubbed his arm ruefully. "You done with yer little temper tantrum yet? I swear if ya at least once acted yer age I think I'd faint. I'm glad I'm leavin'…"

Bo shook his head. "Then go."

Luke frowned. "What?"

Tears glistened in his eyes. "Just go…by the time you come back, I'll be outta yer hair…"

Luke hid a smile. "You say that every time Bo... an' yer always here…"

"I mean it this time…."

"Sure ya do..." Luke shook his head.

"You'll see…"

Luke smirked. "There's always hope I guess…"

He meant it as a joke, but Bo took his words as anything but… he had rushed out of the house and did not return, until he was sure Luke had left for Indiana. When he did come, his eyes were red with crying but he kept to himself, not choosing to answer Jesse's questions as to his whereabouts. He hadn't talked to Luke since.

* * *

Now Bo was in Atlanta. He had left shortly after Jesse, having been commissioned to go to the specialty shop there and pick up a new cooling unit for Boss Hogg's Rolls. With that successful shopping trip under his belt, Bo had loitered around town for a while having intended on enjoying himself while he was there…maybe even take in a show. But it wasn't the same as doing the things with Luke and he soon gave up the idea and headed for home. 

He was singing along with the radio, well on his way, when he happened to see a petite blond kissing a dark haired man on the street. He did a double take, before realizing that it wasn't Becky Sue with Luke. "Snap out of it Bo…" he told himself shaking his head a little. The damage had already been done, as he soon found himself in an unfamiliar and very bad part of the city. Night had fallen quickly and in this particular part of town, there weren't many businesses still open, save for a few local bars that broke the night silence with the loud country music echoing from within or an occasional store with security bars across the doors.

Rain began to plink off the windshield of the loaner car and Bo quickly rolled up the windows. He reasoned that that must be why no one was out and about; after all, it was a big city. People were bound to be around unless maybe the weather was bad…or that it wasn't safe to go out, which, as he looked down the street, he reckoned might not be too far off the mark. The rain had started growing heavier and Bo made up his mind that he would ask the first person he saw for directions, not wanting to stay here any longer. The street lamps were flickering, giving off eerie shadows against the buildings that would have sent quivers up Bo's spine, should he have cared to admit it.

He turned down a seemingly deserted street he could make out the movement of a small group of men in a dimly lit alley. He stopped the car and rolled down the window. "S'cuse me…could y'all tell me…"

Two gun shots rang through the night sky.

_Ya know, somethin' tells me they ain't the Official Atlanta Welcomin' Committee…y'all stay tuned…_

_**Want more? You know what to do!**_


	2. Without a Trace

_**(No I ain't bumping my story...I had a few grammar errors I had to fix... sorry about that)**_

_**Thanks for all the wonderful reviews. They really do help me to update soon, so If you like this story, please let me know. I so appreciate it...Here's the next chapter. TISSUE WARNING!!!!**_

"What d'ya mean no one's heard from him?" demanded Luke from his motel room, as he haphazardly threw items into a suitcase with one hand and held the receiver with the other.

"Well, he never showed up t' do the night chores when he went to Atlanta Friday mornin'. I didn't think much of it…thought he got tied up or something... he wasn't there the next mornin' either an' when his date called Saturday night askin' where Bo was, I started worryin' an' thought I'd give you a call. I was hopin' maybe he'd a come to ya- I know y'all had a scuffle 'fore ya left…"

Luke swallowed. "No… no, he didn't. Last thing Bo said to me was that he was leavin' the farm…"

"Leavin' the farm!" barked Jesse. "Why on earth would he say a fool thing like that?"

"It don't matter now," answered Luke shortly. "He wouldn't just leave…not you an' Daisy. He would've said goodbye. Did ya call Roscoe? Er the state police? Ask at the hospitals?"

Jesse nodded. "We called everyone. No one's heard hide or hair from him since Friday mornin' when he picked up the parts in Atlanta…. he's lost track of time before but…"

"Jesse, you an' I both know better than that…somethin's gotta be wrong, else he woulda called… an he wouldn't just take Cooter's car an' the parts he needs with him…he wouldn't do that." He finished packing and scribbled a note of explanation to his buddy. "Did anyone search the route to an' from Atlanta?"

"Yeah… we didn't see no sign of him." His voice choked. "Luke…Luke my big toe ain't ached like this since ya went to Nam…"

"I'm on my way," answered Luke as he shut the suitcase.

Jesse nodded in response, though Luke couldn't hear him. "See you then."

* * *

The drive back to Hazzard was long despite the fact that Luke broke every speed limit. His thoughts and fears seemed to weigh the General down, putting everything in slow motion. Tears came to his eyes as he thought of the last words he spoke to Bo. If something had happened….

Rationally he replayed the facts in his head. Both Bo and the car he was driving had disappeared. He had, in fact, picked up the parts, so he had made it to Atlanta. Whatever had happened must have occurred as he drove home…

"He's driven to Atlanta dozens of times; he couldn't've gotten lost," reasoned Luke to himself. Something had to be keeping him from coming home…but what? Uncle Jesse had said no one had seen him. He knew Bo well enough that if he was going to be late, he would have called with some lame excuse as to why. Always.

He considered the possibility that Bo had really made true on his threat and left, but quickly dismissed it. He wouldn't have just left the farm. Uncle Jesse needed him and as impulsive as Bo was, there was no way he would have left the farm…not like that.

He reached Atlanta hours later and, having satisfied his curiosity by stopping at the store where Bo was last seen, he slowly drove the familiar route between Hazzard and Atlanta looking for anything amiss.

Nothing.

Something was wrong…something was very wrong.

_Now ain't that puttin' it mildly?_

He had driven all night long, his thoughts and fears having kept him wide awake. Now, as he pulled up to the farm, his heart sank. Always before, when Luke had gone on a trip of any kind without his cousin, Bo was always the first to greet him back with a tackling bear-hug.

There was no Bo today.

Instead Daisy ran outside and threw her arms around him as he was pulling his suitcase out of the car. "Luke!"

"Daisy!" Luke dropped his case and picked her up, holding her close to him. "I thought you'd be gone!"

She shook her head. "I couldn't stay away… not 'til I know Bo's safe…" she added shakily.

Luke looked at her and gently traced a tear stain on her cheek. Her eyes were red from crying and though she gave Luke a smile, he could tell how scared she was.

"We'll find him sweetheart. We will."

Jesse too came out to meet his nephew.

"Uncle Jesse…"began Luke hugging him with one arm, the other wrapped protectively around Daisy.

Jesse only nodded. "C'mon inside. I'll fix ya some vittles…"

Daisy shook her head. "Uncle Jesse, you've been up all night. I'll make breakfast." She went inside before the man could utter a dispute.

Luke looked at his uncle. Daisy was right. The man hadn't slept for what looked like days.

"What? You don't look much better…" teased Jesse gently seeing the look of worry in Luke's eyes. "C'mon…a hot breakfast'll do us both a world of good."

Luke nodded and followed his uncle inside, not hungry, but knowing that if he was to do any kind of search, he would need to eat.

Night had fallen quickly. Daisy had gone back to the farm along with Jesse, both too tired to go on any more tonight. Cooter and Luke had gone back to Atlanta, scouring the side roads between it and Hazzard, looking for any leads but finding none. It was like he had disappeared into thin air.

And to make matters worse, a storm had moved in, making the black sky even darker.

_Those boys just can't get a break can they?_

Luke squinted his eyes scanning the road desperately, not knowing what he was looking for, but praying he'd find it…and soon.

Suddenly, his eyes blinked as the beam from the headlights was reflected back at him by something in the road. Stopping the General, he made his way over to the object and picked it up.

It was a bent license plate.

Luke swallowed the lump in his throat as he raced back to the General and picked up the CB hoping to God there would be a decent signal despite the rain. "Cooter! This here's Luke! You got your ears on, come back…."

A voice cracked through the speaker. "Right here buddy-roe, whatcha got?"

"Cooter, that car Bo borrowed…what was its plate number?"

"Lemme see…I think it was 147 CYM…why?"

Luke's voice choked. "Cooter, get over here to Fox Glen Hollow…an' hurry…I'm gone."

"Glory be Lucas…ya got me more nervous than a long tailed cat in a room full of rockin' chairs…what'd ya find?" asked Cooter as he caught up to Luke on the road some twenty minutes later.

Luke tossed him the plate. "Look familiar?"

Cooter swallowed. "Where'd ya find it?"

"Back there," began Luke pointing, "smack dab in the middle of the road."

Cooter fingered the plate in his hand. "Looks like it got knocked off the way it's bent…"

Luke nodded. "An' look at the paint there on it… a car ran into it," answered Luke in a broken whisper. "We gotta find him…"

Cooter nodded. "Well, we got us a start." He put a hand on Luke's shoulder. "Come on we best keep looking."

Slowly, the tow truck and the General Lee searched the side roads for any sign of Bo. They were both on a seldom-used trail and about to turn around when Luke grabbed the CB. "Cooter! Up ahead! Looks like something crashed through them trees!"

"I see it Luke!"

Quickly the two pulled up to the broken trees and stared down a steep ravine. What they saw and smelled caused Luke to scream and race to the bottom, oblivious to the danger.

There, crashed against a towering oak tree were the charred and still smoldering remains of a car, so burnt it scarcely looked like a car anymore. The glass windows and tires had melted completely. In fact, the only thing that gave evidence that it really had once been a car was the license plate on the tail-end... or rather the lack of one.

_I can't look._


	3. In the Blink of an Eye

**_Okay WARNING: those with weak stomachs: read with care. Strong tissue warning…this chapter is short, but I think you'll agree it packs a punch._**

Luke fumbled his way down the steep embankment, with Cooter close at his heels. The smell of burnt rubber hung in the air, as well as the smoldering smoke from the charred vehicle. As Luke stumbled off of the hillside and took a step forward, an all-too familiar stench greeted him causing him to gulp, standing motionless in the rain.

"Luke!" shouted Cooter running up behind his friend and putting a hand on his shoulder.

"Cooter…it-it's….the smell…it…it's…like Nam…Bo…. Bo…" he choked out unable to stir.

Cooter grimaced nodding. He hadn't driven a wrecker for as long as he had without seeing his fair share of car crashes and knowing the tell-tale smells associated with them. This stench was unmistakable…that of burnt flesh.

The mechanic swallowed, giving Luke's shoulder a gentle squeeze, not knowing what to say. "Luke…Luke… d'ya want me t' check…t' see if…?" He couldn't bring himself to say the words.

"No," answered Luke firmly, shakily getting to his feet. "I will."

"Well lemme at least come with ya," continued Cooter in a serious tone, knowing that his friend would need support should things turn out as bad as they looked.

Luke shook his head and held up his hand, motioning the mechanic to stay where he was. Slowly, biting back tears and swallowing so he would not gag from the smell, he crept closer to the wreck, peering inside.

"Oh God!" Luke fell to his knees and retched, shaking uncontrollably.

"Luke!" shouted Cooter, running to his friend's side. Luke said nothing but simply clung to him, rocking himself back and forth, his actions telling Cooter all he needed to know.

"Bo…Bo…Bo…"

"Shhh Lucas…hush now…."

"He…he d….he…d…."

Cooter swallowed hard and slowly lifted his eyes to the wrecked car.

Hunched over in the driver's seat was a body, burned beyond recognition, save for some unruly blond hair which had miraculously escaped the flames untouched and an all-too- familiar pocket knife laying scorched in what was left of the seat.

Cooter quickly turned away to keep from gagging himself. Bo was gone. He was really gone… He swallowed looking at Luke with tears streaming down his cheeks. Luke had slipped into a state of shock- that much was obvious. Gently he moved to the huddled Duke boy, gently shaking his arm. "We gotta go now Luke…" said Cooter, keeping his voice eerily calm despite the raw emotion threatening to take over.

"No…."

"We gotta Luke…we gotta call for help…c'mon now…" he continued, taking Luke in his arms and starting to pull him up.

"No…" answered Luke pulling away.

"Luke, now ya just can't sit here in the rain..." began Cooter pleadingly, his voice choking in anguish.

The Duke boy wouldn't budge. He simply sat holding his middle and rocking himself, saying Bo's name over and over and over.

_I just can't believe it…Bo Duke dead? Don't that just break yer heart? Now where's those tissues I brought in here?_


	4. Missing You

_**Okay I know this is late in coming, but considering I have spent more time in airports and other states these past two weeks than in my own home, I pray you'll forgive me. At any rate, here is an extra long chappie to make up for it. TISSUE WARNING. In fact, ya may want paper towel, cuz this even made me cry….**_

Luke was numb. It was like watching a dream play out right before his eyes…only it wasn't a dream… it was a nightmare… someone else's nightmare. Denial had claimed Luke Duke for its own.

"I'm worried about him Uncle Jesse," began Daisy sadly. Luke hadn't spoken two words since they had released him from the hospital and into his uncle's care.

"I know ya are Daisy, but sometimes shock is like that," consoled the old man. "Luke'll come back t'us when he's ready. Ya heard the docs…it'll just take time."

Daisy nodded though it was evident that she was not convinced. It wasn't Luke's silence that bothered her the most. Her dark haired cousin had always been a man of few words… at least compared to Bo. It wasn't the silence. It was Luke's way of grieving that bothered her- or rather his lack of. Luke had never been one to show emotion, even when they were little. In fact, when he had fallen out of the old oak tree in the front yard when he was just eight years old, Luke had bit his lip so hard it bled rather than shed a tear, even though his arm had broken.

Daisy, of course, had been fighting a losing battle with her tears ever since she got the call that Bo wouldn't be coming home. She missed him so much. She missed the gentle banter between Bo, Luke and herself, missed the evening routine of Bo sneaking food during the dinner blessing…and getting caught doing it, missed the flying pillows in the morning as Luke struggled to wake Bo from his slumber, missed the nightly chats through the thin wall separating the bedrooms of the cousins, missed the daily ritual of Bo serenading the family as he took his morning shower, his voice ringing through the house… it was gone now…all gone in an instant.

And Luke hadn't shed a single tear.

"Luke… Luke…" called Daisy as she stood outside his bedroom door three days later, "Honey it's time t' wake up…"

No answer.

"Luke?" Daisy gently opened his door.

Luke lay on his bed, head resting on his arms and staring at the ceiling. He still wore the same clothes as he had for the past three days.

Slowly, hesitantly, Daisy made her way over to him and gently squeezed his arm. "Luke honey…the…the wake's in a couple hours….ya gotta shower…an' change an'…"

"I ain't goin'."

Daisy hid her surprise at hearing Luke speak. "Luke you need to go…ya gotta…have a chance t' say…goodbye…" She swallowed back tears as she said the word.

"No," answered Luke not taking his eyes from the ceiling.

"Luke please…" begged Daisy. "Honey this is hard for all of us…we're all hurtin' honey, but we need t' get through this together…as a family."

Luke didn't answer or even blink causing his cousin's tears of sadness to turn to tears of anger. "Fine! Ya just stay here then…don't care bout anyone but yaself! Don't care how yer only hurtin' Uncle Jesse more! And me! I'll tell ya this though Luke Duke…" began Daisy her voice shaking, "If things was diff'rent…an' it was you in that car instead of Bo, ain't nothing woulda kept Bo from sayin' goodbye to ya… no matter how much it hurt him… and it woulda hurt bad cuz we all know how much he loved ya…. Ya know with all ya been through…with Nam…I used t' think ya weren't scared of nothing…but ya are…yer scared t' hurt…you'd rather just shut down… just run away from it all…it ain't right Luke…it just ain't right…Bo adored you…" she added her voice breaking. "Least ya could do is say goodbye." Her emotions getting the best of her, she raced to her own room, sobs coming from deep within the brokenness of her heart.

_I hate seein' a woman cry…'specially when it's Daisy…_

"How's Luke doin'?" asked Cooter as he sipped on his cup of shine looking sadly at the scattered pictures of Bo around the room.

"Not so good," answered Jesse looking tall and sedate in his Sunday-best. "He won't come outta their- er his room."

Daisy agreed as she leaned against her uncle, in her black dress holding her already much used handkerchief.

Cooter nodded. He had known Luke would take Bo's passing harder than anyone. In fact, he would be surprised if it didn't cause him to break completely.

Jesse cleared his throat and, with his arm around Daisy tapped the side of his glass with a spoon. "I wanna thank y'all fer comin'. I know each an' ev'ry one o' ya meant a lot t' my Bo…." His voice cracked with emotion. "I jest wanna give y'all a chance t' share somethin' bout him…sometimes…sometimes 'memberin the good times helps get through the bad…"

Cooter stepped up. "Mr. Uncle Jesse sir…" he began looking down at his empty glass. Jesse put a reassuring hand on his shoulder as he continued. "Bo was like the kid brother I never had…" He smiled a sad smile. "I 'member when he was just 'bout nine years old an' he was watchin' me an' Luke work on the undercarriage of my daddy's car. Bo…he wanted t' see so Luke showed him how t' slide underneath an' I showed him all the diff'rent parts. He took hold of a plug an asked what it was, yankin' it off an' leavin me with a face full o' oil…" The mechanic shook his head fondly. "Good ol' Bo…" He turned away quickly under the pretense of filling his shine glass, hiding his face from the others. Daisy understood his ruse. Quietly she came up to his side and put her arm around him, kissing his wet cheek.

"Er, Jesse…" Rosco stood from where he sat in a corner holding Flash in his arms, a black ribbon around her neck. "Bo he uh…he…" the sheriff swallowed. "I never thought he…I know I said a lot o' things, but I never meant 'em…I liked Bo…I liked t' chase him…an' I think he liked me t' chase him…but I never…we never…" Tears welled in his eyes as he looked at the crowded room and at Jesse nodding to him. "Flash loved him…he'd…he'd always scratch her behind her ears in just the right spots an'…he…he was a good ol' boy…" He started to say more but choked on his words as Flash bellowed her agreement in a sad mournful bark. "I know darlin'…I know…" Hugging his hound close to him the sheriff sat back down.

Luke swallowed as he listened to the goings on from the other side of his door. He wanted to get away from all of it…far away…

"Bo was more than my cousin," began Daisy softly. "He…he was my baby brother…my…my friend…I… I… I can't do this…" Turning to the person nearest her, which happened to be Enos, she lost her battle with her tears. Poor Enos didn't know quite what to do, but being the gentleman he was he simply held her, rubbing her back gently.

Luke could take no more. Opening the door, he pushed his way past the crowd.

"Luke?" called Jesse watching as his nephew swung open the front door and fumbled his way outside.

Luke could feel himself shaking all over. He had to get away…get away and think…and then he saw it.

The General Lee.

It was as much a part of Bo as anything on the farm. Taking the nearest weapon he could get his hands on, which happened to be a broken rake handle, he took it and started wailing on the General as hard as he could, tears starting to pour from his eyes. "Why?! Damn it why?! Why Bo?! Why?!" He was just about to break the windshield when he felt two strong arms take hold of him in a bear hug.

"That won't bring him back son…" said Jesse quietly.

Luke dropped the handle and sank to his knees, tears flowing from his deep blue eyes.

"Luke…Luke…" began Jesse rocking the distraught boy in his arms.

"He's gone…"

Jesse nodded, hugging him closer still.

"Bo… my Bo….he's gone…oh God Jesse… he's gone!" blurted out Luke through his tears as he clung to his uncle.

Jesse held him gently. He had known this would happen eventually, though now that it had, he wasn't sure what to do. "C'mon…let's get ya inside." Gently, he helped Luke stand wishing he could just carry him like he did when he was a boy. Instead, he kept one arm around him and led him to his room.

"What say we move out to the barn….give Luke some quiet?" suggested Cooter, knowing that hearing people talk about Bo might just make things worse for his friend right now.

As the crowd left the house, Jesse gently led Luke to his bed. "Here…lay yerself down Luke…ya need some rest an'…"

"Just go…I wanna be alone…"

"Luke, I…"

"Please…just let me be…"

Jesse sighed and nodded, leaving the room and closing the door behind him.

Luke waited until the door was closed before making his way over to Bo's bed. Taking his pillow he buried his face in it realizing it still had the smell of Bo's cologne on it. Swallowing hard he curled up in a fetal position on the bed, hugging the pillow close to him. "Bo….oh God Bo…."

Jesse slipped into the room a short time later, swallowing to see Luke on Bo's bed holding his pillow tight. "I brung ya some vittles…in case ya get hungry later…" He brushed his hand gently across Luke's dark curls before leaving the room again.

Luke wouldn't answer. He just continued to lie still, breathing in Bo's scent as the tears continued to fall from his eyes. He didn't move to eat. If he ate, he would live, and that was the last thing he wanted to do.

_Ya know, if this gets much sadder I'm gonna cry myself._


	5. Hope Against Hope

**_Sorry it took so long to get the next chappie up. I've been on the go so much...even got to talk a bunch to Tom Wopat which was great for me, but not for the chapter as he was too distracting for me to think about much else... anyway, hope it was worth the wait. _**

**_-Jordyn_**

"How's Luke doin'?" asked Cooter as he leaned against the sink drinking a cup of steaming coffee a few weeks later.

Daisy sighed. "Not so good. All he does anymore is barricade himself in his room or work himself t death…he won't talk about it…"

Cooter nodded his understanding, though he could not say that he was surprised. The bond between the two cousins had been a close one. Luke and Bo had been inseparable. As close as any two brothers were. Everyone in Hazzard knew that Luke would be lost without Bo.

"So where's he at?" asked Cooter as he rinsed his now empty cup and put it in the sink.

"Probably in the barn. Cooter…Cooter I'm worried. I mean there ain't a day goes by that I don't think about Bo, but…Luke he…he just don't wanna live anymore Cooter… he's just going through the motions, ya know?"

Cooter nodded. "Want me t' see if he'll talk t' me?"

"Would you?" she asked hopefully, taking his hand. "Uncle Jesse and I tried but… he always finds something that has t' be done and leaves. It's come t' the point where we don't even mention Bo's name anymore…like it's a dirty word or something…an' it shouldn't be that way Cooter…it shouldn't!" She hid her face in her hands crying. "I'm sorry Cooter… I just…"

"S'alrigt Darlin'," answered Cooter, encircling Daisy in his arms. "You an' Uncle Jesse been holdin the family together since it happened…s'bound t' wear on ya."

"Cooter, I'm so tired…" confessed Daisy as hot tears streaked down her cheeks.

The mechanic took her gently by the shoulders and led her to her room. "Now ya listen here…I'm gonna take care of everythin'…andfirst thing yer gonna do is get some rest."

"Rest? I can't rest! There's so much t' do… laundry an' dishes an'…"

"All that can wait," interrupted Cooter with gentle firmness. "Ya ain't gonna be no good t' no one if ya run yaself ragged, Daisy…ya need some rest."

She sighed, knowing that he was right.

"Go on," Cooter urged her. "Get some sleep. When ya wake up I'll have some of my Davenport surprise on the table waitin' fer ya."

Daisy couldn't help but smile a little, thinking it would be a surprise if Cooter was able to make anything edible, as she stepped into her room, shutting the door behind her. She was too tired to think much about it and her thoughts of the true meaning behind Davenport surprise were replaced with gentle prayers for one cousin and lonesome tears for another.

Satisfied that Daisy was taken care of for the time being, Cooter next went to the barn, daring to hope he could help Luke just as easily.

Chore time had never been a quiet event at the Duke farm. As a rule, the barn would be filled with lively banter between the two boys, ending, as usual, with a jab about Bo's hair or a witty comment about Luke's old age along with a wrestling match in the hay.

Today there was no sound save for the bleating of the goat and Maudine quietly eating her feed and the soft sounds of Luke stacking hay in a corner.

"Hey there Lukas Dukas, " began Cooter, his voice sounding loud in the silence of the barn. "Need any help?"

"No thanks."

"You sure?"

"I got it."

"Buddy, I'll be glad t'…"

"No!" snapped Luke. "Look I said I got it and I got it!"

Cooter frowned. Luke was hurting… bad. He debated whether to ignore Luke's request and start helping him anyway or just going back inside to make dinner as he promised Daisy when Luke made the decision for him.

"Look Cooter, I didn't mean t' snap atcha but ain't nothin' ya can do..ain't nothing anyone can do…" added Luke quietly.

"We're worried 'bout ya Lukas," began Cooter, putting a hand on the dark-haired Duke's shoulder.

Luke stopped what he was doing for a minute. "Look, I know I been workin' a lot….but I hafta…if I don't…"

"Ya think 'bout him."

Luke nodded. "I can't let myself do that Cooter… it hurts too much."

Cooter put a hand on his other shoulder, forcing Luke's eyes to meet his. "Luke…not thinkin' bout him ain't gonna make his memory go away…"

"No," agreed Luke, the pain evident in his voice. "But it'll stop the hurt. That's all I want…I just want it to stop…"

"I know buddy," answered Cooter in a choked whisper, drawing Luke into a brotherly hug. "I know."

* * *

Luke did not come in until well after dinner time. Daisy sat on Jesse's lap, head on his shoulder, looking as the patriarch flipped slowly through a photo album. 

Helping himself to a plate of food that had been keeping warm on the stove for him, Luke poured himself a tall glass of milk and sat down to eat, his eyes happening to glance at the headline of the unfolded paper laying before him.

_John Doe Still Comatose_

Swallowing, Luke took a bite of his stew and picking up the paper began to read, his heart beating faster and faster with each word he read.

"Uncle Jesse! Daisy!" exclaimed Luke rushing over to them and dropping the paper in their surprised laps, this having been the most interested in anything Luke had been since before Bo had passed.

"What is it son…." Jesse started reading the article and frowned nodding. "Yeah…I read about this…that poor boy."

"Uncle Jesse….it's Bo!"

Jesse's face paled as Daisy started to cry again. "Son…yer chasin' rainbows… Bo…Bo's gone son…we been over this…" he added rubbing Daisy's back gently.

"But Uncle Jesse…he was found a few days after Bo disappeared, blond hair, blue eyes..."

"Luke there are lots of blue-eyed blondes…"

"He had no ID… Bo's ID was never found…"

Jesse sighed. "Son, they'd take fingerprints…"

Luke shook his head. "Says here his body was too badly burned, including his fingers…He coulda been in that car…he coulda…."

"Luke if that's Bo, an' I'm sayin' if, why didn't they tell call us sooner…"

"Jesse, they's searchin the missin' person's reports… we never filed one on Bo…"

"Now Luke, ya listen here…" began the patriarch. "We all want that t' be true, as much as ya do, but…"

"But nothin'…" snapped Luke, grabbing his jacket. "It's Bo…. I know it's Bo…"

"Son, I ain't lettin' ya go there only t' have ya come back, worse than before…ya ain't got my permission t' do that Luke…" said Jesse firmly.

Luke looked at him, determinedly. "That's fine… cuz I ain't askin' fer yer permission." Grabbing the keys off the table he jumped into the truck and took off as if death itself was knocking at his door.

**_Okay, you all know what to do if you want more..._**


	6. Crazy

_**Okay…a bit shorter…but better than none…enjoy and if you like it, please review and tell me so…it helps me so much to hear your thoughts….**_

"Can I help you?" asked a pretty brunette at the information desk as Luke ran inside and looked around frantically.

Nodding breathlessly, Luke answered, "Bo….I mean…the John Doe y'all found…in the papers…where is he?"

The lady's eyes grew wide with fear. "Are you…are you a relative?"

"M-my brother…"

"Oh dear," she sighed biting her lip.

"What! What's happened?!"

"I'm sorry sir, but they're taking him off life support right now."

"What! Where is he?!"

"Down this hall…room114…but sir…"

Luke wouldn't hear another word. He took off down the hall and flung open the door to the room. "Stop!"

A doctor looked from around the drawn curtain which hid a bed. "Can I help you son?"

"That…I …I think that may be my brother in there…"

The doctor let out a long sigh. "Your brother? We were just about to remove him from life support."

Luke nodded. "Please… I gotta see…see if it's Bo…please," pleaded Luke, his voice cracking with emotion.

"Sir…if it is your brother…you need to be prepared…he's very badly swollen all over his body…severe burns in some spots…you might not recognize him…"

"I'll know him…if that's Bo…I'll know him…"

Nodding, the doctor silently pulled away the curtain….

* * *

"Uncle Jesse?" asked Daisy as she came up from behind her uncle and wrapped her arms around him resting her head on his shoulder. "What're we gonna do when Luke come's home?"

Jesse sighed. "Well girl, I think he's gonna wanna be alone… I wish he wouldna done this t' hisself…s'just gonna make it harder…"

Daisy sighed. "I know…I know…"

* * *

"He did what?!" asked a dumb-founded Cooter from the other end of the telephone.

"I know…I just wanted t' let ya know cause I'm bettin' he's gonna be needin' a lot of support when he comes home…"

Cooter sighed. "Ol' Lukas never was one t' give up on anything without a fight."

"No," Daisy agreed, "but there comes a time when enough is enough. He's hurtin' all of us now…"

"I know Darlin'…guess it's true what they say…"

"What's that?"

"Hurtin' people hurt people."

"Yeah," answered Daisy with an injured sniff. "Yeah they sure do."

* * *

Hazzard was a small town… a small town with a big mouth and that big mouth belonging to Miss Mabel. She operated the switchboard and passed on information readily to anyone who would listen, be it Boss Hogg requesting the whereabouts of the Dukes or just in idle gossip with other ladies in the Hazzard hair salon. Today the hot news was about Luke Duke.

"I'm tellin' ya the absolute truth on my mother's grave that's what she said," confirmed Mabel as she sat talking on the switchboard, fanning herself with one hand. "I couldn't believe it either…he always was such a smart young man. Course, an' ya didn't hear this from me, I'm bettin' he ends up on the fourth floor of Tri-County himself…if ya know what I mean…."

"Oh come now…the boy's upset…but he ain't crazy…" returned Fannie May Tucker from the other end of the line.

"All I know is I heard he locks himself up in his room all day, or is out in the barn talkin' t' the donkey… an ya know the General Lee? Well I heard tell that the reason we ain't seen it lately is that Luke beat on it with a 2x4…"

"Now Mabel…you don't really believe that do you? Luke would never in his right mind hurt that car…."

"Ya said it yerself Fannie…not in his right mind…. An' he still ain't…'cuz he know's his cousin's gone, God rest his soul, but he's convinced himself that this John Doe fella's him… I'm telling ya…the fourth floor of Tri County best have an extra bed, 'cuz Luke Duke is makin' his way there or my name ain't Mabel Hanson…"

* * *

Luke stopped in his tracks, his breath catching in his throat as he stared at the lifeless man before him. His hands were covered with gauze as was his right leg. His face was blotchy red, with a large cut across his forehead that had been neatly stitched. Had the man been awake, he would have been screaming in agony.

Luke Duke never had been one to show emotion. He had learned to hide it well in Nam, and there he had seen worse…much worse than the figure before him. Yet now he found himself practically falling into the chair beside the bed, swallowing hard, tears running down his cheeks. This time it was different…

This time it was Bo.


	7. I'm here

_Wow…you know sometimes a chapter writes itself. I was planning a whole other direction with this, but this is what came about… at any rate, please let me know what you think…Thanks! Jordyn _

"Bo," choked out Luke in a hoarse whisper, sitting beside him and gently stroking his hair. "I'm here Bo…I'm here."

He had said those same words so many times….

* * *

"I'm here Bo…drop down. I'll catch ya…" promised Luke looking up at his cousin who was hanging perilously to a tree branch. 

"I can't!"

"Bo, ya trust me don't ya?"

"'Course I do," answered the eight-year-old without hesitation, still holding on with all his might.

"Then let go!" commanded Luke.

Bo closed his eyes tight and let go, landing in Luke's arms. "You caught me!"

"Told you I would… you okay?"

Bo nodded. "Just spooked a little."

"How'd ya manage t' get up that far anyway?" asked Luke staring up into the tree knowing that Bo never in his right mind would go so far, as scared of heights as he was.

"There was a kitten stuck up there…I went to get him down, but when I got to him, he scratched me an' ran away…an' left me…I hate cats…" he added sticking his scratched finger in his mouth and sucking on it.

"You got too big a heart for your own good Bo…"

"When I get big, I ain't havin' one cat…not one!"

Luke chuckled as the sun started setting below the hills. "C'mon….must be close to supper time," said Luke and, taking his cousin by the hand, led him home.

* * *

"I'm here…an' ya got Daisy…an' Uncle Jesse…." 

"But not Auntie!" wailed Bo from where he lay on the ground in a heap, huddled next to the freshly dug earth that was his aunt's grave.

"I miss her too, Bo…so much…" admitted Luke, kneeling beside his baby cousin and rubbing his back. "Even more than I missed my own mama."

"She was my mama!" cried Bo passionately, tears falling freely from his blue eyes as he stared at the cold gray headstone.

Luke took the sobbing boy in his arms and started to rock him gently, back and forth, back and forth. Bo simply clung to his cousin's shirt, nervously fingering one of the buttons as he cried.

"S'gonna be ok… "

"Why, Luke?! Why?!"

Luke looked into the baby blue eyes that were searching his own for an answer. It was times like these Luke wished his baby cousin didn't have quite so much confidence in him. He didn't have an answer for him, so he did the only thing he could think to do. He started to sing one of the old hymns his aunt used to sing with them.

Bo responded as Luke knew he would, by singing along. It was soft at first, more sniffling in time with the tune than anything else, but soon he was singing softly, along with Luke, as the soft October breeze dried their tears.

They stayed like that for a long time, just singing old hymns, one right after the other, the dead leaves of autumn blowing about them, their voices choked by the fact that they were missing one member of their trio.

* * *

"Bo…Bo…I'm here Bo…I'm back," whispered Luke quietly, taking the camouflage cover off of his shorn head with one hand and gently running his other across Bo's fevered cheek. 

Bo opened his eyes. "Luke?!" he asked in a hoarse whisper, thinking it was the fever playing tricks on him again.

Luke smiled at his cousin, gently tracing the scar on Bo's hand from so long ago. "Yeah…s'me brother," answered Luke in a broken whisper. "I'm home."

Bo's lip quivered and, though he was weak from being so ill, reached his arms towards Luke. The Marine gathered him into his arms and held him close, placing a soft kiss on his forehead, his own tears beginning to fall.

"Luke…Luke am…am I dying?" asked the eighteen-year old faintly several minutes later.

"No…no…yer just real sick is all… … but I'm here now….I'm gonna take care of ya … ya ain't gonna die…not fer a long, long time."

"Promise?" asked Bo as the tears welled in his eyes.

"I promise. You rest now. I'll be here when you wake up."

* * *

Now Luke was echoing the words again, but this time there was no response as Bo lay deathly still, the only sounds coming from the steady beat of the heart monitor. 

"Sir?" asked the doctor tentatively, noticing how lost in thought the young man appeared to be.

Luke looked at the doctor and nodded. "It's him….it's Bo…."

The doctor sighed. "In that case, I want to be frank with you….you can see for your self how bad off he is. There is internal damage, as well as the topical… enough that without the life support, he would not have survived this long. He is incapable of breathing on his own. Since you are the next of kin, we will need your permission to remove him from life support."

"Absolutely not," declared Luke, not taking his eyes off of Bo.

"Sir…you don't understand. We were removing him from the support when you came in… it wasn't that we no longer wanted to provide care for him. It's the fact that right now, the life support is simply prolonging the inevitable. Every day you keep him on support is just another day of pain…for you and for him."

Luke looked at them. "He's unconscious. How can he be in pain?"

The doctor pointed to faint tear marks on Bo's red cheeks. "They've been coming regularly and his blood pressure elevates every time they do. He's hurting."

"But if he's crying…he must be…"

The doctor shook his head. "All it means is that he can feel the pain."

"He's gonna get better," answered Luke determinedly.

"Sir, his chances are…"

"I don't care what you say his chances are. You don't know Bo! He's gonna get better…he will!"

"You're askin' me to keep him on life support?"

"No. I'm tellin' ya. I just got him back and I ain't about to lose him now."

"Sir, he is suffering…."

"He'll fight it…I know he will…he'll fight it…"

The doctor sighed heavily before conceding and retiring from the room.

Luke turned his attention to Bo once more. "I promised you I wouldn't let ya die…don't make a liar out of me Bo Duke…oh God…" he choked a little as he touched Bo's warm cheek. "Prove 'em wrong, Bo….I'm beggin' ya….prove 'em wrong."


	8. Fractured Fairy Tale

_**So sorry…I know that this is extremely short…and has been a long time coming, but bear with me…. May is an extremely busy month…I'll do my best to give a longer update next time…so stay tuned ya hear? And as always, please review. It helps so much.**_

Luke knew that he was being selfish the moment he said the word…

"No."

"Sir…it's no trouble," began the doctor. "At a time like this, families need to be together."

"I'll tell ya when t' call 'em an' now ain't that time," answered the dark-haired man sullenly.

The doctor simply sighed and nodded. "I've got to finish my rounds…I'll check back with you then." He then left Luke in the dimly lit room, alone with Bo.

"I know cousin," began Luke as he hunched over the bed, softly caressing Bo's arm.

"Guess I just wanna be a little selfish….keep ya safe myself for a while…though I guess I done loused that up for good didn't I?"

He looked at Bo, waiting for the fairy tale ending that always seemed to happen when things looked bad for either one of them. He longed for Bo to pull him into a hug and tell him that nothing had changed. Bo would make a miraculous recovery and everyone would live happily ever after. He expected it.

Hot tears poured down his cheeks as minutes turned to hours and it still had not come.

"Bo..." began Luke, choking as he looked down at the pale form that was his cousin. Never before had he ever felt so at a loss for words…not around Bo. The two shared everything together. Now it was all he could do to get one word out time. "Bo I'm so sorry… I never meant…I didn't…you didn't deserve this…you didn't…." began Luke, cupping his chin carefully and gently rubbing his thumb along Bo's temple.

There was no response except for the lights flickering in the room, causing shadows to dance across Bo's lifeless body.

* * *

Jesse and Daisy ran into the room three hours later, having been phoned by a nurse at Luke's request, Luke refusing to leave Bo's side, even for a minute to do so.

Daisy swallowed hard unable to take her eyes from the figure on the bed. _That wasn't…that couldn't be…_

"Bo…" uttered Jesse finishing Daisy's thought unconsciously. He had known that things would be bad…but seeing his once vivacious and energetic nephew reduced to this state was more than he could take. "Luke…Luke what…how bad did…?"

Luke sat in the chair beside the bed, rubbing Bo's arm with his index finger, unable to hold his bandaged hand. "He…the doc's wanted to take him off life support…."he stated not looking up, his voice cold with the realization that what he had to tell them still would hurt just as much.

"Oh no!" cried Daisy, hand flying to her mouth.

The patriarch pulled her into a comforting hug as he stepped closer staring at Bo. "Good Lord…" in a hushed whisper. "Do they uh…" his voice choked and he hugged Daisy a little tighter. "Do they know how it happened?"

Luke shook his head sniffing a little as a tear tickled his nose. "No. They just know he's got second-degree burns over most of his body…an' they's infected…his….he…" Luke gently pushed back Bo's blond hair. "He has a few broken ribs…one that punctured his lung…they…they think he was beaten….'fore he was burned."

Daisy gasped hiding her face against her uncle.

Jesse's voice was grave and solemn as he spoke slowly. "Then…they don't think it was an accident…"

"No sir, it wasn't," answered Luke not taking his eyes from his cousin. "It was deliberate. Every bruise on him…"


	9. Alive

**_A/N It is now after Dukes fest and as I reread this I realize that I had some major grammar errors...so solly by golly. I've made my corrections and am hoping to have the next chapter up soon... and if anyone wants to know my Dukesfest experience...I have quite a few stories to tell so just ask, not the least of which includes a surprise kiss by a certain famous person and a certain Duke boy's wife who told me she didn't trust me...and if that's not enough to make you wonder I don't know what is...kew kew I'm gone!_**

"Luke, why don't ya go get a coffee…an' somethin' t'eat…" began Jesse as he gently caressed Bo's warm forehead.

"I'm fine…"

"Well, I ain't!" declared Daisy. "Uncle Jesse…" she began with tears in her eyes," Uncle Jesse can I go…make phone calls…get coffee…anything?!" She was near begging but she didn't care. She couldn't stand to see Bo hurt that way.

Jesse nodded in understanding giving her hand a squeeze. "Do what ya need t' do, Daisy-girl."

Frowning, Daisy squeezed her uncle's hand and looked sadly at Luke, unable to look at Bo in the state he was in.

Jesse sighed watching her go. "You really should eat something Luke…"

Luke shook his head again. "I told Bo I wasn't leavin'…an' I mean it."

Jesse smiled sadly. He loved how loyal Luke was to his family. He had always been like that, even as a small tyke. "Luke," began the old man gently, "son he won't know if you take a break an' go get a drink…"

"I'll know," replied Luke shortly.

"Now son, ya ain't gonna be no good t'him if'n ya get sick yaself…," said Jesse trying to reason with him, though doubting it would do much good. The Duke boys were alike in many ways, not the least of which was their stubbornness.

"No!"

Jesse nodded giving up and turned his attention back to his youngest. Bo had always been sickly as a youngster, his asthma having wreaked havoc on the frail body. Still he had always bounced back with doubled vigor and a renewed zest for life. This time, however, things were different and Jesse could sense it as soon as he walked through the door and saw the boy, once thought dead, lying still in the hospital bed. He pulled up a chair and sat on the opposite side of Luke talking softly. "Bo…Bo son…it's yer Uncle Jesse…" He swallowed hard as his voice choked looking at the boy. "Bo…. We's here…Luke an' me…we's right here with ya…" He sighed softly. "Good Lord help him," he prayed.

Luke said nothing. He simply sat stroking Bo's arm, every now and again wiping a tear that escaped from his eye.

* * *

"Daisy?! Daisy what are you doin' here?! Is Uncle Jesse alright? Luke?" asked a bewildered Cooter, having been delivering cards his Boy Scout troop had made for some of the patients and seen Daisy huddled on the waiting room couch. 

"Cooter!" cried the distraught woman flinging her arms around him, sobbing into his neck.

"Easy darlin'… easy now…what's happened?" he asked gently.

"Bo…" she murmured.

"I know sweetheart, I miss him too, but Bo wouldn't want ya…"

"No! Cooter…Bo…he…he's alive…"

"Not you too…" thought Cooter to himself. "Now Daisy we went through this with Luke darlin'…Bo…well he ain't comin' back…"

Daisy felt her face flushing with anger. "Cooter! Bo's here!"

"Wh…what…what…" he stuttered.

"Bo was the John Doe in all the papers," she sniffed. " He…he's alive Cooter…."

"Bo…ain't…dead…. Bo … ain't…dead!" He grabbed Daisy in a hug then stopped. "If he ain't dead why ya cryin'?"

"He's hurt so bad Cooter…he won't wake up…he…he doesn't even look like Bo…"

The mechanic frowned. "What…what happened to him?"

Daisy shuddered. "Room 419. Look for yourself."

Cooter nodded, swallowing, and gave Daisy's shoulder a supportive squeeze before going to the room.

* * *

He paused outside the door, not sure whether to knock or go right in. He chose the latter, and silently creaked the door open stepping inside. 

Luke paid no attention to the door, too absorbed in Bo to notice anything other than the slow raspy breaths of his cousin. Jesse however, looked up at the mechanic with teary eyes. "Come on in, Cooter… don't be shy."

Cooter did as he was told, taking off his hat as if stepping into a sacred place. "Saw Daisy in the waiting room…she…she told me about…" He lifted his eyes to take in the sight before him, feeling his knees growing weak. Daisy was right, save for the unruly blond hair it was hard to tell it was Bo under the bandages. Being the owner of the only wrecker in a town known for accidents (appropriately named Hazzard) Cooter had seen his fair share of hurt people, but nothing had prepared him for this.

"What…what happened Uncle Jesse?"

When the old man did not respond with his trademark "I ain't yer uncle Jesse" Cooter knew that Bo was indeed in dire straights. "They don't know fer sure, but uh…they think someone beat him…" The Duke patriarch guided his calloused hand through Bo's hair. "And they think whoever done that decided t' finish the job by…burnin' him… alive."

It was well that Jesse had been sitting nearby. Cooter paled at the last word, his knees buckling beneath him. Quickly Jesse got up, fanning the mechanic with one hand. "Cooter! You alright boy?!" he asked as the mechanic looked dazedly at him.

"Yeah…yeah…"

Luke glanced at him for a moment before continuing his vigil beside Bo.

"I just…I can't believe…"

"I know," sighed Jesse. "I know."

Cooter slowly made his way to Luke's side, knowing from the look on his face that he was having a hard time dealing with this. Sympathetically, he laid a hand on Luke's shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze as he looked at Bo again, his mouth a tight line. "Who on earth coulda done such a thing?" he wondered out loud, not expecting an answer. He wasn't, however, the least bit surprised at the answer and who gave it.

"I don't know…" answered Luke slowly and deliberately. "But I'll tell you one thing…you can make double damn sure I'm gonna find out."

_Uh oh…Folks I've seen that look in Luke's eyes before… and I wouldn't be on the receiving end of that stare for all the grits in the world…_

_**Okay…there you have it…you know what to do if you want more….**_


	10. Casualty

_**Hey y'all…sorry…I know this is pretty short but the next will be longer promise…if you like it though please let me know…reviews are the cure for writer's block after all…**_

_**A/N…For those of you that asked…Dukes Fest was awesome! I have so many stories to tell…why John's wife said she don't trust me, what certain someone took me on his knee ….what certain someone kissed me…oh yeah it was great…if you want to know more just ask… I love to share! **_

Luke Duke stood staring out the window as a heavy rain beat against it. The weather certainly matched his mood.

It had been 6 weeks…6 long, agonizing weeks. Bo had begun to breathe on his own three weeks ago, thus enabling the doctors to remove the ventilator, causing the Duke family to rejoice believing Bo was on the road to recovery… but as week after week passed, with no sign of Bo coming out of his coma, their hopes disappearing as quick as they had come.

Luke glanced back at Bo wearily. He was so tired…exhausted. Ever since he had discovered that Bo was alive he had barely left his side. Truth be told, he was afraid …afraid Bo would wake up while he was gone, and even more afraid that he would not wake up again. Either way, he couldn't bear to leave him.

* * *

"I'm worried for him Uncle Jesse… he ain't sleepin'…he's hardly eatin'…" began Daisy as she sat at the kitchen table with her uncle, eating lunch before making the trek back up to the hospital.

"I know Daisy-girl. It's almost like…"

"Like what?" asked Daisy.

"Like he's in combat …"

"Yeah," agreed Daisy standing up. "I just hope he doesn't become a casualty."

* * *

The fact was that Luke _was_ in combat mode. It was an ingrained coping skill. He ate enough to live on, but no more, sleeping only an hour at a time at most, waking at the slightest noise. He likened it to pulling guard duty. Nothing was going to take Bo from him…not without a fight from Luke first.

He sat down again beside Bo, his chair well worn from use. Picking up Bo's hand he turned it over in his own gently. "Ya look so diff'rent, Bo…," began Luke quietly.

Bo had always had a nice healthy tan, making his blond hair appear almost like spun gold. It was all gone now, replaced by white bandages or red burn splotches against otherwise pale skin. Ever so gently, Luke caressed his cousin's swollen red cheek with his finger. "You gotta come back t'us Bo…you gotta." Carefully he swept his hand through his blond waves. "I miss you so much brother…" Thunder shook the hospital and Luke instinctively took Bo's hand in both his own, massaging his knuckled gently. "S'just a storm cousin…s'gonna be ok…"

You could've heard a pin drop when Luke felt a small twitch against his hand.

"Bo?" Luke looked in his eyes and holding his hand with one hand, he caressed his hair with the other. "Bo please…wake up…please…"

A soft moan sounded from Bo's mouth as he twitched a little in the bed.

"Bo?!"

Slowly, Bo's eyes fluttered open revealing the baby blues Luke never thought he'd see again.

Unable to control his emotion any longer, Luke's tears found a vent and flowed freely. "Bo…" he breathed. "You came back…you…you came back t' me…"

Bo moved his head a little wincing as bandage brushed against burn. "Wh…where…?" The voice was hoarse and scratchy, but it was undeniably Bo's. The sound of it caused Luke to choke on his tears. "You're in a hospital, Bo."

Bo frowned. "Am… I sick?"

Luke smiled a watery smile. "Yeah…yeah you're sick, buddy."

Bo's frown deepened as he turned more to face Luke, squinting his eyes as much as he could to focus on him the nerves damaged from the heat. "Do I …know you?"

_Uh oh…that can't be good._

_**You know what to do!**_


	11. Let No Man Put Us Under

_**Hey y'all…I promised an update sooner…with a longer chappie so here ya go. This chapter is dedicated to my little buddy Aiden (aka mini Spiderman) who with his blond hair and big dimpled grin is the spittin image of what I imagine young Bo to be…right on down to the way he talks. Thanks for the inspiration Aiden (I hope he doesn't "web" me for this!)**_

Luke stood dumbfounded. "Do you know…?! Bo..it's me…Luke…"

Bo swallowed a little. "Luke… Luke…" He repeated the name trying to remember. "I know you?" he asked again when his mind drew a blank.

Luke bit his lip before answering with a slight nod. "I'm your cousin."

"Cousin? I don't… remember any cousin…in fact…I don't remember…. much at all…'cept heat…was I out in the sun too long?" It was then he noticed the bandages and felt the pain in his neck and head as he struggled to look at himself. "This ain't no sunsickness is it…what's wrong with me?! What's wrong with me?!" He was starting to panic.

"Easy Bo… ya had…an accident is all…you're gonna be fine," answered Luke leery of telling Bo the truth, afraid it would hurt him more. "You remember your name…anything?" asked Luke worriedly yet skillfully changing the subject..

"Just what you said…my name's Bo?"

Luke nodded. "It's a nickname…for Beauregard."

"Beauregard…" Bo scowled as the name rolled over his tongue.

Luke couldn't help smiling. "That's why ya call yaself Bo."

Bo gave a small nod, but inside his heart was pounding. This so called "cousin" seemed like a nice enough fellow, but Bo didn't know him from Adam, and to have a stranger telling you who you are was more than unnerving. It was down-right scary.

Luke thought a moment and then snapped his fingers digging through his wallet and pulling out a small picture, holding it up for Bo to see.

"That's you…who's that with you?" asked Bo staring at the picture.

Luke swallowed hard. "That's Uncle Jesse…he raised us…an' the girl is Daisy…she's our cousin."

Bo stared at the picture a long time. "Who's that fella?" he asked pointing.

Luke looked at where his finger was, his heart sinking. "That's you Bo."

Bo swallowed hard. "I want a mirror…"

"I don't think…"

"I want a mirror…now!"

Luke swallowed and, finding one, held it up to Bo.

He stared a long time between the picture and the mirror, tears starting to cascade down his red cheeks. "That's me?"

Luke nodded. "That's you."

"You're Luke?" asked Bo looking hard at his cousin.

"I'm Luke…"

"I'm sorry…I just don't remember you…I don't remember how I got here…I don't remember anything!" cried Bo, getting very upset.

Luke swallowed the lump in his throat. "Give it time brother…you will…"

Bo frowned. "I thought…ya said we's cousins…"

"We are."

"Then why'd …ya call me ….your brother?"

"Few reasons…first…we was raised t'gether…like brothers…"

Bo nodded a little.

"Second reason…is we're blood brothers."

"We are?"

Luke nodded. "You was only six….

* * *

"Bo… Bo you up there?" asked ten year old Luke as he looked up at the tree house, the only light around being from the moonlight dancing on the leaves.

A small sob was heard from within, barely audible with the noise from the crickets and frogs singing outside.

Luke quickly made his way up.

Bo sat huddled in the corner of the tree house his knees to his chest and crying.

"Bo…what's a matter…you hardly touched your dinner an' then I go to our room thinking ya went to bed an' yer gone…"

Bo sniffed. "Wanted …to' get 'way."

"How come?" asked Luke gently sitting beside him cross legged and looking at him.

Bo's lips trembled. "No one… wikes me…"

Luke couldn't help smile a little. Bo had never quite mastered his "L" or "R" sounds.

"Course they do…everyone likes you…"

"Nu-uh…Hughie said so…"

Luke laughed. "Hughie Hogg?! Bo why would ya listen t' him?"

"Cuz he's wight."

"Right about what?"

Bo started crying again. "He said… my mama an' daddy…didn't weawy die…that..they wefted me…cuz they didn't wove me…"

Luke's jaw set tight. Hughie Hogg had gone too far, and Luke vowed that by this time tomorrow he would regret it. "He lied Bo. Your mama an' daddy loved you…an Uncle Jesse loves you…an' Daisy loves you…even Maudine loves you….an the chickens'd love ya too if ya didn't chase 'em so much." Bo smiled a little at that, as Luke knew he would. "An' I love ya Bo…"

"You do?"

Luke nodded. "You're my little brother. 'Course I do…"

Bo crawled over and sat on Luke's lap, not being one to ever wait to be cuddled. Luke took the hint and wrapped his arms around his cousin.

"I wish… we was weal bwothers Wuke…" sniffed Bo.

"We can be."

"How?"

Luke took out his pocket knife that he had received for his birthday. "We can be blood brothers."

Bo paled. "Bwood bwothers?"

Luke nodded. "I saw it on TV last week. We each cut ourselves a little bit, an' say something fancy an' then we's brothers forever."

"Bwood?" Bo held his hands clenched together.

"Yeah…I'd hafta cut ya…"

"Bwothers foweva?" asked Bo debating.

Luke nodded. "Forever an' ever."

Bo nodded. "OK."

Luke nodded and made a small cut on his palm, hissing a little as he did. "You ready Bo?"

Bo nodded and held his small trembling hand out. Luke took it…"One…two…wow Bo look at that spider on the wall!"

Bo looked eagerly. "A spidy?!"

Luke quickly made the cut while Bo was in search of the spider. "All done."

Bo looked down surprised t find a small trickle of blood. "Whe…what happened to the spidy?"

Luke smiled. "I think he saw the blood an' ran off…he's not brave like you."

Bo grinned with boyish pride. "Now what?"

"We put our palms together." He took Bo's hand so that their palms were touching, the blood mixing. "An say something." He grinned. "This here makes us blood brothers…forever an' ever…" He thought a moment and, wanting it to sound official thought back to the words the preacher had spoken at the end of Mabel Hodges' wedding last week. Smiling he looked at Bo. "God has joined us together. Let no man put us under."

_Ol' Luke might not get the words right...but they're kinda fittin', dontcha think?_

Bo grinned wide. "We's bwothers now?"

Luke smiled and nodded. "Forever."

Bo wrapped his arms around Luke's neck. "I wove you, Wuke."

Luke hugged him back. "I love you too…now let's get back."

Bo looked at him hopefully. "Piggy back wide?"

Luke laughed. "Okay… c'mon."

* * *

Bo looked at him sadly. "I don't remember that."

Luke sighed nodding a little. "It's ok….you will…you will…"

_**Uhu…you know what to do…**_


	12. Heart on your Sleeve

_**Ugh, I know…I know….I'm sorry… I have good excuses, and I'd be happy to share them, but I think you would all just get madder. That being said, I will spare my excuses, remind you that I do not own the Dukes, and wish all of you a very happy Friday…well Saturday now. As always, thank you for taking the time to review and happy reading. Jordyn**_

The weeks that followed were painful ones for the Duke family. Every day Jesse, Daisy, or both would make a trip to visit Bo, usually bringing with them something that they hoped would jog his memory. Several of Bo's trophies found their way to his room, as did a promotional poster for the Carnival of Thrills, as well as his guitar. Several pictures sat on his bedside table, but all were to no avail.

It was early evening when Daisy stopped by the hospital with a medium bag in her hands. "How is he?" she asked quietly as she stepped into the room.

"Finally asleep," answered Luke, who refused to leave Bo's side still. "They been pokin' him with needles all day, getting ready for that big skin graft tomorrow."

"What's so funny about that?" asked Daisy indignantly noticing the slight smile on Luke's face.

"Nothin…s'just ironic. The one thing Bo does remember is his fear of needles… he sure gave the docs a run fer their money t'day… that's why he's so whooped. He was hollerin' somthin' fierce an threatenin' them with everythin' under the sun…."

Daisy nodded. "Sounds like Bo. I brung what ya asked for…but if he don't even recognize the General…"

That had been one of the biggest disappointments for the clan. Jesse, Daisy and Luke had been flipping through a photo album with Bo when he spotted a picture of the orange charger.

* * *

"Wow! Ain't she something?!"

Luke looked at the picture. "That's our General Lee, Bo."

"Our…you mean…I…we own her?!"

Luke nodded. "Yeah…we race…an' the General's a he…not a she…"

"We race?" asked Bo looking at the picture again. "Do we ever win?"

"Always…you're the best driver around."

"Me?! I'm a racecar driver?!"

Luke nodded.

"Wow."

_Wow indeed_, thought Luke. Bo couldn't remember a thing.

* * *

"I know Daisy, but we gotta keep tryin,'" answered Luke.

Daisy nodded. "Well, I gotta get to work. Good luck honey." With a soft kiss to Luke's cheek, Daisy gave her cousin an encouraging smile, before leaving the room.

A heavy rain pelted against the hospital window. Luke had dozed off, his hand still clutching tight to Bo's as he slept in the well-worn chair beside the bed.

Thunder shook the room, cracking so loudly that Bo woke up.

"Luke!"

Hearing his cousin cry out his name woke Luke quickly. "I'm here, Bo…s'ok…s'only a storm" he said hiding his surprise that Bo had called out for his big brother, quite as he had done when they were little.

Bo nodded a little, breathing heavily. The thunder booming outside, coupled with the lightning, making him more scared than he had been already.

"Luke, I wanna go home," murmured Bo, almost in a whine. It didn't matter that all he knew about "home" were the pictures in the album Daisy had brought up. What mattered was that Bo was sick of hospital food, sick of funny smells, flashing lights, strange noises and needle-bearing nurses. He wanted to go home…away from it all and to the life he once knew…and wanted to know again.

"I know ya do, Bo…but ya can't…not just yet…"

"But when Luke?! I don't wanna stay here no more!" cried Bo pitifully.

Luke rubbed his arm gently, hating the sadness in Bo's voice. "I know…I know. But you're still real sick little brother…"

Large tears started to drip from Bo's eyes.

"Oh, Bo…don't cry…please, don't cry." Luke took out his handkerchief, gently drying his cousin's eyes, mindful of the tender red areas. "Your tears are salty Bo… it'd hurt if the touch your bandages. Don't cry now…it's gonna be alright." Ever so softly he dabbed Bo's tears with the cloth.

_don't cry…don't cry_

"Bo?" asked Luke worriedly looking at his cousin.

"Huh?" asked Bo distantly.

"Ya kinda zoned out for a minute," continued Luke. "You ok?"

"Yeah…just seems like…I heard ya say that before."

Luke frowned. "Say what?"

"For me not to cry…"

Luke nodded, smiling a little. "I have."

Something in the way he said that made Bo wonder… "Have you said that a lot? Am I…am I a wimp or something?!"

"No Bo! You're far from it…in fact, you're the bravest man I ever met…an' I met a lot."

"I am?"

Luke nodded. "Yeah…ya just…" he thought a moment. "Ya ain't afraid t' let people know what ya feel…ya was always like that. If you're happy, ya love everyone… if ya ain't, the world knows it. Uncle Jesse an' Aunt Lavinia used t' say ya wore your heart on your sleeve."

Bo scoffed. "Sound like a pansy."

Luke looked him in the eye. "Well ya ain't. You're just not afraid t' be yourself. When people look at Bo Duke on the outside, they's seein' the inside too. That's why we all love ya so much…you're the real deal."

Bo couldn't help smiling a little as he heard that. The way Luke described him, Bo was a pretty good guy… either that or he was at least someone Luke thought the world of, and both possibilities brought a smile to the younger Duke's parched lips.

Luke nodded. "That's what I like t' see," noticing his small smile.

"What's in the bag, Luke?" asked Bo, his curiosity turning to the bag on the floor beside his cousin.

"Oh, just a few things I asked Daisy t' fetch…thinking it might help…."

"No offense Luke, but…" he looked around the room. "Ain't none of it worked yet.

"Yeah, well, maybe I just wanna take a trip down Memory Lane myself…"

"Well, what's in it?" asked Bo eyeing the bag with a critical eye.

"Let's take a look…" answered Luke, reaching for the bag.

_**  
So what's in the bag? If you wanna find out, you know what to do…**_


	13. In the Bag

_**Ok…again, it's been a while but here is a nice long one for ya. I'm dedicating this chapter to anyone who ever had a favorite blanket…and to my aunt, who made mine…. Enjoy.**_

Bo turned his head towards his cousin, watching as Luke pulled a small blanket from the bag and handed it to him with a smile.

"Remember this?" asked Luke.

Bo ran his fingers gently over the frayed silk edging. It had certainly seen better days.

"I... I'm not sure," answered Bo. It didn't look familiar…yet he had a feeling that he knew it.

"It was your baby blanket," explained Luke. "Aunt Lavinia- she made it for ya when ya first come to the farm."

Bo swallowed, thinking about how much time his aunt had spent making it for him, and feeling very troubled that he didn't remember her, much less the blanket.

"I guess I liked it, huh?" asked Bo, noticing how much the faded material had been patched up.

Luke chuckled. "I'll say ya did. Ya dragged it everywhere with ya… was so bad Aunt Lavinia had to sneak it away and wash it during your nap 'cuz ya wouldn't let her take it otherwise…ya was too afraid ya wouldn't get it back…"

Bo smiled a sad smile as he rubbed the blue silk between his fingers.

"Ya used to have me make up stories…t' go with each of the pictures," added Luke, pointing to the faded square pictures of animals that adorned the fabric.

"I did?"

"Yeah," answered Luke with a smile. "And this one…" he pointed to a worn picture of two brown monkeys hugging each other. "That was your favorite."

Bo looked at the picture, suddenly paling and mouthing, "Bo an' Luke."

"What?"

Bo looked up at him. "They was named Bo an' Luke…"

Luke swallowed hard and nodded, tears in his eyes. "Yeah…you called 'em Bo an' Luke…you remember anything else?"

Bo stared at the blanket but shook his head with a sigh. "No."

"S'alright," assured Luke. "It's a start…"

"Did I really take it with me everywhere?"

"Ya sure did…an' when ya was sick, there was only two things you wanted with ya…an' that blanket was one of them."

"The other was you, wasn't it?" asked Bo looking at him, his blue eyes full of gentle trust.

Luke smiled. "Yeah. Yeah the other was me."

Bo nodded. He could understand that. He didn't remember Luke except for the past few days he had been with him, but every time he was with Luke, he felt comfortable and loved. When the door to his room opened, he hoped it was Luke, and though he never said so, he was sorry when Luke left for the day. He felt better when Luke was with him… almost like Luke brought with him an assurance that everything would be ok. Bo could certainly understand why as a sick and frightened child, he would want Luke at his side. As a sick and frightened man, Bo now wanted the same thing.

"I remember one time…I think ya was 'bout five…" began Luke slowly.

* * *

A soft rumble woke Luke from a light sleep. He glanced at Bo's bed, frowning when he noticed the rumpled blankets and no blond-haired cousin beneath them. Pushing himself up, he padded out the room to look for Bo.

He found him laying in the fetal position, outside the bathroom door, hugging tight to his blanket.

"Bo? Bo whatcha doin' out here?" he asked quietly, kneeling down beside him.

The small boy sniffed and looked up at him with watery eyes. "I don' feew vewy good, Wuke."

Luke frowned and put his hand gently on his cousin's forehead as he had seen his aunt do so many times. "Ya do feel a might warm. You hurtin' anywhere?"

Bo nodded, his blond curls nodding with him. "My fwoat … an' my head…an' my tummy…" he sniffed. "An' my toeses."

"Your toes?" asked Luke hiding a smile. "What's wrong with your toes?"

Bo wiped his eyes. "I twipped on my bwankie when I was wunning to da bafwoom."

"Aww…ya gotta be careful, Bo-Bo," said Luke gently, giving his younger cousin a look of sympathy. "We best get ya t' bed." Carefully he picked up Bo in his arms, blanket and all, and carried him to his bed.

Bo huddled into him, his hands clinging tightly to Luke's night shirt, not because he afraid of Luke dropping him, but because he liked the feeling of security he felt in his cousin's hold.

Sitting Bo down on his bed for a moment, Luke quickly smoothed Bo's sheets and turned down the bed before returning to Bo. Laying him gently in bed, Luke pulled the covers up around him.

Bo wrapped his thin arms around his cousin's neck and cried. "Don't weave me, Wuke."

"I'm just gonna go get Auntie…I'll be right back…I promise…here…hold yer blankie. I'll be right back." Quickly, Luke slipped out of the room, knowing if he stayed one second more, Bo would cry all the louder.

Bo sniffed and gathered his blanket in his arms, dampening it with his tears. It was as such that Lavinia found him.

"Aw, Bo, what's the matter sweetheart?" she asked sitting down beside him and stroking his blond curls.

Bo sniffed, and despite the care Luke had taken to tuck in his blankets for him, sent them in disarray as he crawled onto his aunt's lap, sure of getting the cuddling he so desperately wanted.

Lavinia smiled. Bo always had been the most affectionate one of the bunch, giving away hugs and kisses as freely as he did his smile. Now she cuddled him close, resting his curly head on her shoulder. "Don't ya feel good, darlin'?

Little Bo shook his head slightly, rubbing his eyes with the back of one hand, clinging tightly to his blanket with the other.

"Lukas, bring me the syrup and a glass of water, would you please?" asked Lavinia as she rubbed Bo's back.

Bo started to cry more. He had had Lavinia's syrup before. If it did nothing else, it was a sure-fire motivation to get well. No one wanted to drink that stuff if they didn't have to and Bo was no exception. "I don' want to…I don' want to!" he cried, coughing as he got more and more upset.

"Now Bo. Ya wanna get better don'tcha?"

"No! I don' want it!"

Luke returned a few moments later, frowning feeling bad for Bo, and handed Lavinia the spoon, already well-coated with honey.

Lavinia smiled at Luke. "Can you put the syrup onto the spoon for me Luke? Now Bo…show Luke what a big boy you are and take it…Luke put lots of honey on there, so it won't taste quite so bad."

"Do I hafta?" he choked out his voice hoarse from crying so much and from his red throat.

"Just one big swallow, Bo, then ya can lick the honey off the spoon an' I'll tell ya a story," promised Luke.

Now more than anything in the world, Bo loved snuggling with Luke as he read to him… sometimes from the books Bo loved, some times from the Sunday comics, sometimes stories Luke made up. He could have read the stock reports in the Hazzard Gazette for all Bo cared…he just liked hearing Luke's voice and having his cousin all to himself. Luke knew this, and used it to his advantage.

It worked.

"Good boy, Bo," praised Lavinia as Bo took the spoonful manfully, wrinkling his nose in digust. After Bo drank what he wanted of the water, Lavinia tucked him in again. "Now you try and get some rest, Bo…and don't stay up too late Luke."

"I won't," answered Luke, turning to Bo as she left.

"I'm hot, Wuke," complained Bo, kicking off his blankets.

"Be right back," answered Luke returning a moment later with a big bowl full of water and a wash cloth. Carefully wring it out he blotted Bo's tiny forehead with the cloth in one hand, pulling the blankets up over him with the other.

Bo sighed a little.

"Feel better?"

Bo nodded, whispering, "Fanks, Wuke."

"No problem…. So what'll it be? Green Eggs and Ham? Snoopy?"

Bo pulled out his blanket, and pointed to the two monkeys.

Luke smiled, though he wasn't surprised. "You wanna hear a Bo and Luke story?"

Bo nodded, his little hand touching the picture as Luke began to talk…

_Once upon a time, there was two little monkeys. Their names were Bo and Luke._

Bo smiled a little, his thumb finding its way to his mouth, as it did when he was very tired, but he kept staring at Luke, as if his older cousin was making pictures in the air as he talked. Little Bo hung on every word.

_Bo and Luke were best friends, and there was nothin' they liked better than swingin' together on the vines that grew all over. Now Bo…he was always doin' things the other animals didn't think he'd do cuz he was too little. One time, a mean old hog dared him to jump from vine to vine in one of the tallest trees... Bo was really scared, but he wanted to be brave…so he jumped…._

"An' he swipped…" whispered Bo, behind his thumb, his eyes starting to droop.

_And he slipped. He was high up in the tree an' he couldn't find nothin' to grab on to…_

"Wuke…" whispered Bo as a yawn overtook him and he closed his eyes snuggling further down into the blankets.

Luke smiled, blotting Bo's head again.

_Except for Luke. See Luke had been watchin' Bo jump, an' he seen him slip an' fall so he got right under that tree and dooooooooooown came Bo and uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuup went Luke's arms….and he caught him. And Bo was never afraid to make high jumps again…cuz he knew Luke'd always be there to catch him if he fell._

Smiling, Luke tucked in the blankets around the now sleeping little boy and kissed his temple, before turning out the light and going to bed himself.

* * *

Luke looked at Bo as he finished his story and grinned.

There, with the blanket in his arms, and a small smile on his lips slept Bo.

Luke gently brushed the hair back from his eyes. "I'll always be there for ya Bo…always."

Luke couldn't be sure, but he thought he saw Bo's smile grow just a bit. "Guess the rest'll have to wait…" muttered Luke , setting the bag down and holding Bo's hand as he slept.

_**So there ya have it…and yes there's still more in the bag…so if ya want more, please let me know…**_


	14. Best Friends

_**My intentions were good. They really were…but between being sick and going back to work after a summer off and band practice and certain people who keep me so busy chatting with them that I have no time to write….hehe yeah you know who you are…well… it's easy to get distracted. At any rate, here you go…this chappie is dedicated to my fellow musicians out there and to anyone who knows the power of a song. Enjoy…Jordyn**_

Bo awoke hours later to the sound of rain pattering against the window and his cousin snoring softly in the chair beside him, an open notebook and ink pen in his lap as if he had been writing something.

Bo frowned as he looked at the notebook wondering what Luke had been writing. _He won't mind if I take a quick peek_, thought Bo to himself as he carefully slipped the book from under Luke's hand.

The book had closed as Bo took it, and now he opened it to the first page and swallowed.

It was a song.

In fact, Bo noticed as he turned page after page, they were all songs. Some had music penned in above the words… some were merely lyrics. Some had a blue star on top indicating Luke sung that one…others had a gold star referring to Bo. The majority of them however had both stars on top- they were to be sung together.

Bo swallowed realizing that no one had to tell him what the stars meant. He just knew.

The first song had a blue star on top and as he read the words, it seemed he could hear Luke's voice singing and the memory of the song washed over him like a gentle wave.

* * *

"Wuke! Wuuuke!" cried Bo, sitting up in his bed, trembling as he cried.

Luke woke up at his cousin's screams and sleepily rubbed his eyes. "Wha's matter Bo?" he asked turning on the light. "You ok?"

Bo shook his head as he cried. "Want Wuke!"

Luke yawned and made his way to his cousin's bed sitting down beside him. "You have another nightmare?"

Bo nodded not waiting for an invitation to crawl into his cousin's lap, hiding his face against Luke's shoulder. "Uhu…was a bad one Wuke.." he sniffed.

Luke couldn't help smile as his cousin's blond curls tickled his nose. "Aww…ya wanna tell me 'bout it?"

"Wuke … wefted me…" sobbed Bo near hysterics. "An' monsters came…an' gotted me…an' ate me for wunch…wif ketchup."

Luke would have burst out laughing had Bo not been so seriously upset by it. "Was just a dream Bo."

Bo's lip quivered. "Seemed weal," he answered around the thumb that had found it's way to the little boy's mouth.

"Yeah…I s'pose it did," said Luke in the gentle tone he often used with Bo. "But there's three reasons I know fer a fact it ain't…."

Bo looked at him with big blue eyes.

"First off…ain't no monsters. Second, if there was monsters, ain't no way I'd let 'em eat my baby brother…with or without ketchup."

"What's fird, Wuke?" asked Bo removing his thumb long enough to ask the question before putting it back in his mouth once more.

"Third's the most important one. I'll never leave you. I might go away to camp or something….but I'll always come back…I'll never leave ya for good….I couldn't…"

"Ya can't?"

Luke shook his head rubbing Bo's back gently. "Nah…I'd miss ya too much."

"Ya would?" asked Bo through his tears.

"Course I would…you're my brother…my blood brother." He took Bo's little hand and gently traced the fresh scar on it. "Means we love each other even more than normal brothers do."

"It does?" asked Bo in wonderment, a smile coming to his lips.

Luke nodded, smiling as his impetuous cousin gave him a big hug.

"I wove you, Wuke."

"I love you too, Bo."

"Wuke…will you sweep wif me tonight?"

Luke tousled Bo's blond curls. "Sure."

Gently he laid Bo down on the bed, wrapping his arms around his cousin and cuddling him close.

"Wuke?" asked Bo as a yawn over took him.

"Yeah?"

"Will you sing a song bout you an' me?" asked the blond his baby blue eyes drooping closed.

"I can't just make up a song Bo…."

"Twy…" came the sleepy reply as Bo put his thumb back in his mouth.

So…to the tune of the lullaby Lavinia sang to them, Luke did his best.

_Bo an' Luke_

_The brothers Duke_

_Are the best of friends_

_They liked t' play they_

_Drove race cars_

_An' went speedin' round the bends…_

_Luke an' Bo _

_Had t' go_

_To sleep one night_

_Little Bo got scared _

_He had a nightmare_

_But Luke sang away his fright_

Luke smiled as he saw that Bo was very near to sleep, one hand clinging to Luke's shirt the other in his mouth as he sucked his thumb.

* * *

Tears rolled down Bo's cheeks as he realized that he didn't have to read the rest of the song. He knew every word by heart.

_Go to sleep now, little Bo_

_Your big brother is here_

_Don't you cry_

_No more now_

_Let me wipe away your tears._

_I love you_

_My little Bo_

_More than anything_

_So you sleep now_

_Close your eyes_

_And dream while I sing._

A soft sniff escaped Bo as he remembered how, the next morning, he had begged Luke to write the song down for him.

* * *

Luke shook his head. "Sure I wanna write songs with ya one day…but that ain't a good song t' do it with…"

"Is too," contradicted Bo, sitting cross legged on the bed in front of Luke. "It's my mostest favowite…"

Luke blushed a little at the innocent praise his cousin had given him. "I don't even remember it Bo…"

Bo was undaunted. "I do…I wemember it good," returned Bo proudly, dimpling up at his cousin with a smile that could make an iceberg melt and his cousin relent.

So, with the notebook spread on the bed before them, Luke wrote the song down with help from Bo. The written version was somewhat different than the way Luke had sang it. After all, when he sang it Luke made things up off the top of his head. Sometimes they rhymed…and other times they didn't. Now the two had time to carefully think about rhyme and rhythm and to make the song as good as they could.

Bo didn't mind that the finished version varied slightly from the original… especially when Luke told him he could write the title. Bo took the pen carefully in his hand and thought a moment. His little tongue peeped out of the corner of his mouth as he pondered the question of what to call the song. It had to be special…it was the first song the two ever wrote together. Suddenly a wide grin spread across his face and he carefully printed in careful crooked letters "BesT FReNds."

He had capitalized some letters and not others. His e's were written backwards and he had forgotten the I in friends, but to Bo it was a perfect title for a perfect song.

* * *

Luke never did have the heart to correct it and kept it all these years, just as Bo had written it.

"My best friend," murmured Bo quietly, looking at Luke.

Luke slept on, oblivious to the two wet baby-blue eyes staring at him.

_**Okay…you know what to do if you want more…this was a pretty tame chapter, but gather them while you may, cuz you know me….and it ain't over yet…**_


	15. I Remember

_**Okay I know this is very short but it seemed a good place to end this chapter. At any rate I hope you liked it. Let me know if you would. Thanks! Jordyn**_

****

****

Bo wiped his eyes and idly flipped through the pages stopping at the last one. He couldn't help choking as he started to read. This wasn't a song or a poem. It wasn't even a letter. It was a prayer- a heart-felt plea punctuated by tears that blotted the ink and discolored the white paper.

_Dear God_

_I know I ain't been on the best of terms with ya lately…fact is…I aint been on the best of terms with nobody… ain't tried t' be. When I thought ya took Bo from me…well I just wanted to die too…I ain't read my Bible since Auntie died…ain't been t church since the last time Bo an' I went… which by the way, I'm sorry we got the giggles when Lulu asked for seconds on the communion bread. We shouldna done that…an' I shouldna avoided ya…I'm sorry._

_I never thought I'd be one of them that comes t' ya only when I need somethin'. But fact is…I really need your help._

_See I'm just so scared God...I don't think I've ever been this scared, not even in Nam. I'm scared you're gonna take Bo for real…an' there won't be a damn thing I can do about it._

_He's so much more than a cousin to me…he's my buddy… my best friend…. my brother. When I thought you took him, I felt alone…empty. I don't wanna feel that again._

_I love him so much God…just help him…help him to remember…help him to heal…keep him safe…please…help him…_

The pen trailed off there as if the writer, overcome with exhaustion and sorrow had succumbed to the sleep his body demanded.

It was a short lived sleep however as he woke upon hearing a pitiful sob escape Bo's lips.

Luke glanced to him, his forehead wrinkled with worry. "Bo…Bo what's wrong?!"

Bo's lips quivered as, staring at his cousin's anxious face, memories started flowing back to him in waves.

-taking turns swinging on a rope from the rafters of the barn onto a pile of hay on the floor

- skinny-dipping after a hot day of chores, having to steal clothes from a scarecrow when their own were taken

making the Leap for Life together at the Carnival of Thrills

fighting at the Boar's Nest for Daisy's honor

Jumping the General over one of many construction sites

Singing together when they went on picnics

"Luke…" sobbed Bo with tears flowing from his eyes.

"What is it Bo? You in pain again?" asked Luke an undertone of fear in his voice that Bo could easily detect now.

Bo shook his head and, reaching out a hand to Luke's face which hovered worriedly near his pillow, let his hand rest on Luke's tan cheek. "I remember you…I remember you…."

Poor Luke almost lost control of his carefully guarded emotions. Instead he took his own hand, holding Bo's hand to his face. Silent tears trickled from his eyes as Luke started to say something, but found himself at a loss for words. He just stared at Bo, bright blue eyes meeting dark blue ones.

Bo finally let go of Luke's cheek, only long enough to reach over and hug his cousin close, clinging to Luke as tight as he could in fear that, at any moment, Luke, along with the only memories Bo had left, would slip away again.

**_Please review! Thanks!_**


	16. A Promise or Two

_**Ok…I know…I know… so I wont bother with excused…just know I have been very busy but have not forgotten about you all… hopefully my next update won't be so long in coming. Thank you to all my readers and for those who take the time to review. I still don't own em…an' I still ain't makin' no money off 'em. Jordyn**_

It was another dark and dreary day two weeks later. The rain seemed to fall non-stop lately, threatening Georgia with floodwaters. The forecast remained grim at best. Still, for the Duke family, the sun had never shown brighter, for Bo had been allowed to come home.

He was able to sit up now, well wrapped in blankets to prevent him from having to fight off a cold, on top of the other things he was contending with. Bo tried his best not to mind so much, and idly flipped through car magazines or sorted and re-sorted his old baseball cards, too weak to do anything too strenuous. Though he minded the prescribed bed-rest, he didn't mind the time with Luke who scarcely left his side. It suited Bo just fine. Things seemed clearer when Luke was with him…easier.

"I ain't so scared when you're here…you take care of me," Bo had confessed with a small whimper when Luke had caught tears welling in his eyes when he informed his cousin that Jesse was making him go home from the hospital to rest. Since that day, Jesse had given up trying to talk sense into his oldest charge. Luke wouldn't hear it. If Bo felt safer with Luke, then with Luke he would be… period.

"Wish I could go outside," muttered Bo softly as he watched the rain patter against the window.

"Go out? You crazy cousin?! It's cold and wet out there…" began Luke a little confused.

"I know…but if I went out…I'd be happy to get to stay inside, but I can't go out…so I ain't happy," explained Bo with a wistful look on his pale face.

"I know, buddy," said Luke sympathetically. "Ya just gotta sit tight a while longer. You was so sick…an ya had so many close calls…."

"I know," said Bo miserably. "I just…"

He stopped as a thoughtful look came on his wan face. His memory had started coming back, piece by piece. It didn't take much…a smell…a sound…a laugh. Just segments of the giant jigsaw puzzle of his mind really, and he had come to rely on Luke to help him piece them together.

"What is it, Bo?" asked the older cousin, putting a hand on Bo's shoulder. Luke Duke had never been the clingier of the two cousins. Physical contact was something he could take or leave. Bo on the other hand was different. He had always sought after hugs, even as a child, and if they weren't offered, he initiated them. It was part of what made Bo, Bo. Luke recognized this and tried, in his own way, to give Bo opportunities to be himself.

Feeling his cousin's hand on his shoulder brought Bo from his thoughts. He looked up at Luke swallowing. "I- it was raining… I… I was by a bus stop…crying…"

Luke nodded a little. "That was when I left for the Marines."

The thoughtful look came on his face again, his eyes soon growing wide as he stared at his cousin…the memories of that time coming back in droves. With all his strength he grabbed Luke in a tight hug and sobbed against him, not letting go.

Luke was taken aback to say the least. "Hey…hey it's alright….shhhh," he whispered, taking Bo more in his arms and rubbing small circles on his back.

"S'not! They…you was….they said you was…." Bo choked hard reliving the day that the telegram arrived.

"I'm here now, brother. I made it," assured Luke soothingly albeit uneasily.

The war was something he never did like talking about with Bo. It wasn't that he couldn't talk about it. He could. He simply chose not to. The reason was two-fold really. First off, he was home now, not in Nam. He had adopted the Marine term FIDO as his mantra: Forget it, Drive on… and to most areas of his life, he applied it. Of course, war wasn't something you could forget, but he refused to let anyone or anything control him and that included Nam. The other reason he didn't bring it up was Bo. Luke took his role as big brother seriously and, never did outgrow the desire to protect Bo and Daisy. Bo had always been tender-hearted… and sensitive. Had he known the things Luke had seen, he'd be plagued with nightmares, just as Luke had been for the first couple years. Luke didn't wish that on anyone.

"You…they…you was a p-p-prisoner?!" asked Bo choking a bit on the last word, his arms wrapped around his cousin's torso.

Luke sighed and ran a hand through the mop of uncombed curls on his cousin's head. "S'ok….I ain't no more…."

"Th-they hurt you…you…you came home…your leg…you…they …"

Luke sighed softly. "Hey…hey…it's over now…was just a sprain really…I can still outrun ya," he added gently by way of a joke, hoping to lighten the mood.

Poor Bo hardly heard him. He just embraced Luke again sobbing into his shoulder.

Luke hugged him gently, his hand against the blonde's mop of curls. "Hey…hey…s'alright…"

"Th-they beat you…you come home…s-slept…with the light on….an…an n-nightmares….b-bad ones…"

Luke let off a soft sigh. It had never occurred to him that when Bo's memories started coming back it wouldn't just be the happy ones. "It's over Bo," he said in an effort to keep his voice soothing despite what they were talking about.

Bo pulled away from Luke tears still running down his face as he bit his lip and looked at his cousin, seeing for himself that it really was over just as Luke said.

Luke took out his handkerchief and tenderly wiped Bo's tears. It pained him to see his cousin so upset.

"How… how did you…?" asked Bo softly looking into Luke's brilliant blue eyes, with his own misty ones.

"How did I what?"

"Survive…" answered Bo his voice barely audible.

"I had to," answered Luke simply. "I made you a promise I'd come home… an' Dukes don't lie. I knew you needed me. I couldn't not…"

Bo sniffed hard at that. "F-for me?"

"Well, Daisy and Jesse too of course, but you was the one got me through it…" He smiled a little revealing something he had never told anyone. "I…after…they uh…well..." He paused not sure what to call the barbaric tortures he went through. "After they questioned me…" he began leaving out the rest, "I used t come back t my cell…an' talk t' you…"

"T-talk to me?"

Luke nodded flushing a little. "I imagined you could hear me…and I imagined…you answered me…they thought I was crazy," he laughed an empty laugh. "But it helped, 'cuz it motivated me…all I could hear was you…telling me to come home… an' I told myself I would…alive if possible."

Bo couldn't help hugging Luke again, burying his face on his shoulder.

Luke just held him close. "You got me back…now I'm gonna return the favor. Things'll be ok…I promise ya…"

Bo nodded swallowing hard, feeling for the first time that things really might be ok. After all, Luke said so, so it must be. He yawned looking up at the cousin he idolized. Luke helped him lie down, gently pulling the crumpled blanket over him.

"You're tired," said Luke softly. "You best get some rest."

"Kay," answered Bo trustingly. "Luke?"

"Yeah?"

"Will you stay with me?"

"Course…" said Luke without hesitation.

"Luke?"

"Yeah?"

"I love you."

Luke swallowed and nodded his hand gently brushing back the hair from Bo's eyes. "Love you too brother…rest now…"

Bo nodded and closed his eyes reaching out and taking hold of Luke's hand, holding it while he slept.

_**You know what to do!**_


	17. Screams in the Night

_**I'm soooo sorry. I know these chappies have been long in coming…but here ya go…on with the show!**_

Heart- wrenching screams of terror echoed through the farmhouse, reverberating off of the walls and stunning the chorus of frogs and crickets outside to silence.

Luke was at Bo's side in an instant. "Bo…Bo, s'ok…s'ok…you're dreamin' Bo…"

It had become part of the nightly rituals at the Duke home, as common an occurrence as the brushing of teeth or the soft whisper of the bedtime prayers Jesse spoke every night. A good night's sleep was now a pleasant memory. The family went about their daily chores half asleep, their eyes deeply set with dark circles underneath them. It had gotten to the point that Daisy, already exhausted after a night's work, had fell into the routine of spending nights away with friends, for no other reason than the need to sleep.

Luke had been there for every dream. They had begun tame enough... just a flinch or a soft whimper. However, as week rolled after week and Bo's memory started to return piece by piece, the dreams intensified into horrific nightmares, from which Bo could not awaken. Rather he would settle into a restless sleep, waking in the morning tired but unaware, the memory of his eventful night having drifted away as easily as the morning fog after a light rain.

Now, Bo kept screaming, his hands balled in fists in front of his face, tossing and turning on the bed crying in agony as he did, tears streaming from his clenched-shut eyes. "Help me….Luke…Luke it hurts….Luke…someone…God help me!" cried the blonde desperately rolling back and forth in a vain effort to extinguish the invisible flames engulfing him.

"Bo…Bo…I'm here brother…calm down….you're ok…" began Luke softly.

Bo whimpered hearing Luke's voice, but still tossing and turning.

"Bo…stop brother…please…," begged Luke quietly. The blonde's skin was still red and blotchy from the burns, bandages still covering places on his arms where the flames had damaged the most. Luke knew that with every toss and turn, Bo was causing himself more pain.

Jesse by now had entered the room and was watching with a frown, his heavily set eyes sunken even more from lack of sleep. "At it again, is he?"

"Yes sir," answered Luke softly. "I can't get him to wake up."

Jesse set the salve he had brought with him down on the table. "You got him?"

Luke nodded. "Yeah…go try an' sleep…I got him."

Jesse nodded, looking at him thoughtfully. Luke had always been the lighter sleeper of the two, waking at the slightest noise. The old man supposed a lot of it had to do with his past. It had been late at night when his parents were killed. It had been in the night when Bo would have his worst asthma attacks, waking them both up with wheezing and gasps for air. It was a night mission that changed his life, instilling in him what the letters P.O.W. really stood for. And though the boy never spoke about what had happened while a prisoner, Jesse reasoned from the nightmares and anxiety that came home with the Marine, that he had new reasons to fear the dark. For Luke, nighttime was something that could not be trusted… and for that reason alone, it didn't surprise him that Luke was wide awake and at Bo's side every night. He had trained himself long ago to require as little sleep as possible.

"You call me if you need me," said Jesse firmly, looking at Bo who was, by now, no longer screaming but moaning as he tossed and turned.

"I will," promised Luke turning back to Bo.

Jesse nodded again and made his way to his bedroom, saying some heart-felt prayers for his youngest along the way.

Bo sat up with a scream twenty minutes later. "Luke!"

"Shhhh….I'm here brother….you was dreamin'…."

Bo looked at Luke, his lips trembling, his sapphire eyes glistening with moisture. He didn't wait for Luke to offer the hug. He just wrapped his arms around his cousin and sobbed quietly.

Luke rocked him as gently as he could. "Shhh….s'ok buddy…s'alright."

"Was…awful…." choked out Bo.

"What was?"

Bo sniffed. "The fire…"

"Bo wait…you remember it?"

"Some….was tied…in a barn….got loose…but couldn't breathe…"

"Your asthma?" asked Luke softly.

"The fire…so hot…" he whimpered.

Luke swallowed. "You remember anything else?"

Bo nodded. "The roof….started to cave in…I…" Vainly he tried to remember what had happened after.

"S'ok…don't worry bout it…you're home now…you're safe," confirmed Luke.

Bo nodded and hugged into Luke tighter. "Don't go Luke…"

"I won't…I'll be here… you sleep now…I'll stay with ya…"

Bo nodded, but didn't move out of Luke's hold, still hugging him tight. Truth to tell, he was afraid to go back to sleep…afraid of what the sleep would bring with it.

If Luke had only known what was about to take place, he would have hung on to Bo with all his might. But Luke didn't know and continued with his nightly routine of tucking Bo in to his bed gently before returning to his own, catching what few hours sleep he could.

"No….no….," cried Bo, his blue eyes open wide, his lip quivering, tears falling down his cheeks.

"Bo?" asked Luke, sleepily going to his side. "Bo you're..." He stopped seeing Bo's face…whatever was wrong…it wasn't a dream. "Bo…"

Bo looked to him, his soft blue eyes turning cold in an instant. "You stay away from me…"

"Wh-what…"

"You heard me…."said Bo his voice quivering. "You're a liar…an' a polecat…an' I never wanna see you again!"

_Did y'all just hear what I think I heard….don't go to the refrigerator now…_


	18. Outcast

_**A little late I know…but I'm tryin…this chappie is dedicated to my friend B.L. who is under the weather and wanted something to read. hugs**_

"Bo what in the world are ya talkin' about?!" asked Luke not believing what he heard.

"Get out!!" screamed Bo huddling into himself.

Jesse rushed in. "What in tarnation…?"

Bo kept screaming not looking at either of them. "Get out!!! Get out!!!"

Jesse nodded at Luke to leave the room, before crossing to Bo taking the younger boy in his arms. "Shhhh….yer uncle Jesse's gotcha now….s'alright…"

"Keep'm away," whimpered Bo. "Keep'm 'way from me!"

"You hush now…rest Bo…rest…"

* * *

Luke stood at the window looking out into the darkness three weeks later. Ever since he had come back from the Marine Corps, he had feared not so much the dark, but the things hiding within it. Now here he was, wishing he were out in the blackness, facing down the end of a rifle or dodging tripwires… anything besides being in a place that with two words had ceased to be home. A tear dripped down his cheek.

"He knows you love him, Luke," offered Jesse softly, startling Luke so much he jumped and hurriedly wiped the tear away.

Jesse saw the wet smear on his eldest nephew's cheek. Sighing, he moved over to him, taking his handkerchief out of the pocket of his overalls and tenderly wiped it away.

The past weeks had not been kind to Luke. Having been outcast from his room, he buried himself in work, doing anything he could to get his mind off of the troubles that tormented his soul. And week after week, Jesse looked on worriedly. The last thing he wanted was for Luke to become withdrawn from the family, and he feared, what with Daisy being gone a lot, and Jesse caring for Bo, that that was what was happening.

Luke had never been the one to let things affect him emotionally. It wasn't that he didn't have sentiment. He did. He just guarded his heart carefully, letting it be seen by the few people he trusted and loved, and then rarely. Despite the ordeal he had been through in the war, Luke Duke's biggest fear wasn't a sniper rifle. It wasn't a hidden land mine or a narrow tunnel. No, his biggest fear had been and would always be losing the ones he loved… so he loved as few people as possible. In fact, truth told, he could count on his hand the people he truly loved: Jesse, Daisy, and Bo. That was it. Of course, Cooter and the General Lee might have been included on there too, but even his best friend and beloved car could not come close in comparison about how he felt about his family. The thought of losing any one of them was enough to make him quake in his boots.

Now, he felt as if his worst nightmare was coming true.

"I can't take this anymore Jesse…" admitted Luke, a plea in his voice that Jesse would remember thinking later sounded very much like a cry for help.

The white-haired man nodded and rubbed small circles on Luke's back. "He just can't get past that argument ya had…"

"But he won't let me near him to apologize…or explain what I meant…I didn't really hope he wouldn't come back…he's actin' like I'm the one that put him in that fire….I never wanted to hurt him…I just…" began Luke chokingly.

"Words have power son…I recon you both have learned that," said Jesse squeezing Luke's shoulder, noting how thin he had become. "Did you eat today?"

"Yes sir," answered Luke in a half-whisper. He wasn't exactly lying. His meal had consisted of a few bites of apple, the rest having been given to Maudine the mule. He just wasn't hungry.

"Then why don't you get some sleep…ya look a bit peaked."

"I'm ok…can't sleep on the couch anyway," answered Luke softly.

"Ya can take my room…I can stay with Bo…"

Luke interrupted him. "No…I never sleep much…you know that."

Jesse sighed but nodded. "Well if ya change yer mind…"

Luke nodded. "I'm just gonna go take a walk… get some air…," he said making his way to the door.

"By yerself?" Not shocked that Luke wanted alone time, but surprised that he would take his walk at night.

Luke shrugged.

"Take yer jacket…s'posed t' rain."

Luke managed a smile. He talked gruffly but Jesse was a protective mother hen. Luke took his jacket from the coat rack and made his way outside.

Jesse sighed whatever thoughts he was thinking soon interrupted by screams echoing from Bo's room. Silently praying for a miracle, Jesse turned going into the room to calm his nephew.

"Bo…Bo…," he said gently going over to his youngest. "Wake up son…"

Tears streamed down Bo's cheeks as he whimpered tossing back and forth.

"Bo…" said Jesse gently but in a tone you paid attention to.

Bo opened his wet eyes and looked up at him his lip trembling.

Jesse just smiled, taking the boy gently in his arms. "There now…s'alright…s'alright son…"

"Hurts," whimpered Bo.

"Where son?" asked Jesse gently.

"Ev'ry where…here…" he said trying to reach the middle of his back.

Jesse nodded getting the salve from the table and squeezing a small amount onto his hands, rubbing them together and carefully rubbing the salve in.

Bo hissed at the initial feel of the hands but the lines of pain slowly faded from his face as the cooling agent did its job.

"There we go…" said Jesse after a while. "Feels better don't it?"

Bo didn't answer. He was fast asleep.

* * *

Jesse must have dozed off in the chair beside the bed because that's where he found himself the next morning. Bo was still sleeping soundly, so he pushed himself up off the chair, working out the kink in his neck, and made his way to the kitchen to make breakfast. He poked his head in the living room to check on Luke, not surprised that he was already gone. Likely he was doing the chores, and would be a while, he thought, hearing the rain pound on the roof and knowing his nephew well enough that it was likely Luke was taking advantage of the weather and fixing any leaks he found in the barn.

He was just dishing up breakfast and preparing to take Bo's tray into him when a knock sounded at the door.

"Now who could that be?" wondered Jesse aloud as he took Bo in his tray and came back wiping his hands on his overalls and opened the door.

Enos stood on the porch, his hat in hand, rain dripping onto him from a hole in the roof causing water to run like tears down his face.

"Enos! Get in here….yer just in time fer breakfast…" began Jesse taking him by the arm and showing him in.

"Oh no sir," began the deputy nervously. "I ain't here for breakfast. Not that it wouldn't be appreciated…" he added hesitantly.

"Then…why are ya here?"

Enos looked down at his hat and bit his lip. There was no mistaking the tears in his eyes. "It…it's Luke…."

_**If what happened to Luke**_

_**Is what you want to know**_

_**Let me know what you think**_

_**Click the button below….**_


	19. Enough

_**To my faithful readers:**_

_**I'm very sorry this is so late in coming. I honestly have not forgotten you. This chapter gave me much grief, plus the new year brought with it a hospital stay for me, so I am still catching up. At any rate, I hope it was worth the wait… Jordyn**_

"Luke? Luke's in the barn….if yer gonna arrest him on some trumped—up charge of Boss's, ya can just git…that's the last thing the boy needs t' deal with!" answered Jesse angrily, his maternal feathers having been ruffled.

"With all due respect sir, Luke ain't in the barn…." began Enos hesitantly.

Jesse looked at him. "He ain't?"

"No sir."

"Where is he then?" asked Jesse, feeling his big toe start to ache as it always did when something was wrong.

"He's in an ambulance…headed for Tri-County."

"What?!" yelled Jesse.

"I found him on the side of the road this morning…"

"The side of the road?"

"Yes sir…" said Enos, looking down at his hat. "He was soaked t' the bone an'…"

"An' what?" interrupted Jesse knowing that Luke wouldn't have been taken to the hospital for no reason.

Enos looked at Jesse and swallowed saying softly, "It appeared to be a hit-an'-run

Uncle Jesse."

"A hit-an' -run?! You mean t' tell me…." began the old man, but not stopping for an answer, instead grabbing his hat and keys. "Enos…would you call Daisy home…an' stay with Bo 'til she gets here?"

"Yes sir."

Jesse Duke nodded his thanks and rushed out, jumping into his pick-up truck and starting the engine, breaking every speed limit on his way to Tri-County Hospital.

* * *

"For Lukas Duke?"

Jesse stood quickly. He had been in the waiting room for what seemed like eternity. "What in tarnation is going on?!" he fumed. He was at his wits end having been told that the doctor would update him on Luke's condition shortly…and that was several hours before.

"Mr. Duke, I'm Dr. Williams, your son's overseeing physician," began the doctor, assuming from the paternal look of worry on the man's face that he was the young man's father.

Jesse didn't bother to correct him. "What took ya so long?! What's happened?!"

"Mr. Duke…please… sit," said the doctor, pointing Jesse to a nearby chair.

"Sit…" repeated Jesse softly as he did as told. There were some things you know instinctively; others you learned by experience. Many a hard experience had told Jesse that being told to sit by a doc was never good. "What's going on?"

"Mr. Duke, to be frank, we don't know how he survived an impact like he encountered…"

"How…how bad?" asked Jesse, his voice cracking.

"Every rib on his right side's been broken…he has a moderate concussion and his right lung was punctured…" began the doctor, waiting for Jesse to nod before continuing. "We were able to isolate the internal bleeding and placed him on a ventilator to help with his breathing but…"

"But what?" asked Jesse slowly, his blue eyes meeting the doctor's.

The doctor sighed. "He's in a coma…I'm sorry."

Jesse sighed long and hard. "Can I see him?"

"Of course…room 133 …and feel free to talk to him…it's possible that he can hear you…"

Jesse nodded and headed down the hall, tears dripping down his cheeks, becoming invisible in the depths of his beard. He opened the door gently, but stopped at first site of his boy. "Oh Lukas…" he said softly, making his way over to him.

Everything in the room seemed a different shade of white, interrupted only by the dark hair which stuck up in unruly curls above the white bandage on Luke's forehead. The soft hiss of the ventilator was the only sound that met Jesse as he spoke his nephew's name softly.

"Luke…Luke son…your uncle Jesse's here…I'm right here."

Getting no response, he gently picked up Luke's hand. It was clammy to the touch.

Luke was deathly pale in contrast to the normal healthy tan he wore and the sight of the ventilator tube snaking out his mouth brought more tears to the old man's eyes. "My boy…" said Jesse softly.

Things had turned so bad so quick. In truth, Jesse blamed himself. He should have known better than to let him go walking at night… especially when he was already in low spirits. Sighing heavily, Jesse rubbed Luke's knuckles softly. "I'm sorry Lukas…I shoulda known somethin' weren't right that night…"

There was no answer save for the gentle hiss of the ventilator.

* * *

"Uncle Jesse!" cried Daisy as Jesse came in late that night, quite exhausted from the stress of the day. "I've been worried sick! How is he!?"

Jesse sighed, not answering at first. Instead he sat down in his favorite chair by the fire, allowing his eyes to close in silent prayer for a moment.

"Uncle Jesse?" asked Daisy worriedly.

Jesse looked to her and drew his baby girl to his lap. "We hafta be brave Daisy-girl," he said slowly.

"How…how bad…?"

Jesse looked into the sweet face of Daisy, fear evident in her misty blue eyes. "He's slipped into a coma, baby."

"Wh-wha…" choked Daisy. "No…oh God no…" With those words she hugged into her uncle, sobbing into his overalls.

Jesse just held her close rocking her in his arms.

"What'll we do?" sobbed Daisy. "Luke…our Luke…"

"He's a Duke…he'll fight," answered Jesse firmly.

Daisy swallowed and nodded, hoping and praying it would be enough.

**_If you'd like more, please let me know what you think! The more encouragement I get, the quicker I try to update. It really helps me a lot. Thank you!!!!_**


	20. The Days That Followed

_**Slowly but surely the chapters they come… this was a toughie; hopefully the next one will go better…and quicker…til then, enjoy!**_

The days that followed were some of the longest that Jesse and Daisy could ever remember having. They took turns staying with Luke, in the hope that maybe, just maybe, one of them might be able to get through to him. But as days turned to weeks, Jesse's eldest made no improvement and the hopes of the Duke clan faded.

Bo wasn't yet aware of his cousin's fate. Daisy had tried to tell him shortly after it happened, but the conversation didn't go well…

* * *

"Bo…about Luke…"

"I don't wanna hear it Daisy…"

"Bo…"

"He's nothin' to me now…you understand me…nothin'!" yelled Bo, sitting up in bed.

* * *

This passionate response reduced Daisy to tears, so much so that she couldn't go on and ran from the room seeking out her uncle.

"He's hurtin' still…give it time…" advised the patriarch.

"Uncle Jesse…time's one thing Luke might not have…" returned Daisy with a sniff, her voice shaky.

Jesse couldn't argue with that. He simply nodded a little, drawing his niece close and hugging her softly, his eyes closed in silent prayer all the while.

A week later Daisy sat huddled in the corner of the sofa, a blanket wrapped around her, more for comfort than for warmth, gentle tears cascading down her cheeks. In her lap was one of the photo albums. As a child, she used to love to look at the pictures, somehow the photographs helping to instill the pride that came with being a Duke. She had grown up being proud of what her family did, proud of who her family was, and prouder still of the love for each other captured in every picture. The love had especially been true among the cousins.

Bo had arrived at the farm first: a 6 month old burbling bundle of dimpled sunshine on his good days, a weakened, asthma-plagued baby on his bad ones, his bad days far out-numbering the good. For Jesse and Lavinia who had never had any children of their own, caring for little Bo could be a challenge. Many was the day that Lavinia would sit in her rocking chair just holding Bo in her lap as he struggled with his breathing, tears running down her face feeling so helpless and unprepared for this new charge of hers. About a year after Bo arrived on the farm, they were still trying to figure things out when another catastrophe occurred, leaving pain, sorrow and Luke behind.

Luke had proved to be an even bigger challenge for Jesse and Lavinia than Bo. By the time he was five years old, Luke had lost everyone in his life he loved most: his baby brother in a tragic hospital fire, and shortly after, both his parents in a car crash. To make matters worse, Luke had been with his parents during the accident, and while the five- year-old had miraculously escaped with a few cuts and bruises, emotionally he had been traumatized for life.

Luke never spoke about his parents to anyone. In fact the only acknowledgement he gave that he ever had parents was the circlet of silver always adorning his left pinky- his dad's wedding band. To someone who did not know the oldest Duke boy well it might appear that his parents' death was something he had accepted and was satisfied to let stay in the past… but Luke had never been one to just accept things at face value. The tragic accident haunted him still. Daisy knew this by the nightmares Luke had followed by the days after when he was more than content to let Bo do all the driving, the thought of being behind the wheel tending to frighten him more than he ever let on. It was on these days he was the most quiet…thoughtful. And it was also on these days that Bo and Luke were pretty much inseparable.

Daisy shook her head. Bo and Luke were always together: cousins closer than brothers. Now that was gone and it seemed more and more that it would remain that way.

She looked up when the door opened and Jesse came in, taking off his red cap tiredly. This was taking its toll on the patriarch. "Any change, Uncle Jesse?"

Jesse shook his head softly, his bright blue eyes dimming with tears.

"Oh Uncle Jesse…" began Daisy going to him and hugging him close.

"He still ain't respondin' t' nothin'…s'like…he done gave up…" said Jesse sadly.

"You don't really think that…do you?" asked Daisy, her bottom lip quivering.

"I don't know, baby…I just don't know…" said Jesse with a sigh. "How's Bo doin'?"

"Seems to be doin' ok…" answered Daisy. "Nothin' new.

Bo wasn't ok, however. He was angry…frustrated…and lonesome. He missed Luke, but his pride refused to let him admit it. Besides, it wasn't as if it mattered anyway. Bo knew as well as anyone that if Luke really cared, he'd be there with him, despite his words. At the very least he would ask about him, but no… Luke had deserted him and to Bo that was unforgivable.


	21. Routines

_**This chapter is dedicated to my awesome faithful readers who stick with me despite work schedules, band practices, illness and travel. Thanks so much! Let me know what you think. I value your opinions so much!! Jordyn**_

_**A/N- Someone asked me if I have any other stories similar to this…. I've written quite a few (check out my profile). The most popular was Lost (if you like Witness you will like that too I think.) Hope that answers your questions!**_

"Bo, honey…wake up…wake up Bo," commanded Daisy softly a few weeks later.

Whimpers escaped the blond as he tossed and turned in his sleep, tears cascading down his cheeks. "No…No…" he muttered in a scared voice.

"Sweetheart you're dreamin' again…c'mon now…" continued Daisy gently.

His nightmares had been plaguing him lately. Bo would never share what his dreams were about, instead always saying that he didn't remember them; his eyes, however, told a different story. Dark circles lined them and the once so innocent and carefree baby-blues now resembled those of a kicked pup, left abandoned in a storm, fearing for its life.

"Bo wake up…please honey…wake up,"

As if on cue, Bo jerked awake sitting up in bed his breathing quick and frightened.

"Bo…you okay sugar?" asked Daisy stroking his hair tenderly.

"D-daisy…"

Daisy nodded a little. "Yeah sweetie…s'me…"

Bo nodded, tears starting to trickle down his cheeks.

"Bo?" asked Daisy softly, her slender fingers resting on his wet cheek. "Musta been a bad dream, huh?"

Bo didn't answer.

"Ya can talk t' me sugar…"

"Ain't…the d-dream," responded Bo with an injured sniff.

Daisy frowned. "What is it then?"

Bo choked in an attempt to keep his voice calm though he felt like screaming. "Luke don't care…"

_Did I just hear what I think I heard?_

"What?" asked Daisy unable to believe what she just heard.

"He…he don't care about me…" answered Bo in a choked whisper.

_Uhuh…I did…_

Daisy stared at him incredulously, running a hand through his blond curls. "That's silly Bo…Luke loves you…"

Bo clenched his jaw at that. "No he doesn't! If he did he never woulda said those things he did…"

Daisy looked at him confused. "What things? Bo ya ain't makin' no sense…you told him to get out…to leave ya…"

"He told me he hoped I wouldn't be there when he came back!"

"When did he say…" began Daisy when realization dawned on her, "Bo you know he didn't mean that..."

"Yes he did!! I know he did…if he didn't he'd be here right now…no matter what I said…but he ain't…he don't care!"

"He'd be here if he could Bo…he…he's in a bad way…" began Daisy softly.

Bo looked at her. "What d'ya mean a bad way?"

Daisy looked down, hating to even say the words, as if saying them just might have the power to bring into existence what seemed inevitable. "He's been hurt Bo…"

Bo sat up a little more. "Hurt?! What d'ya mean hurt?!"

Daisy bit her lip. "He…he went for a walk one night…Enos…found him the next morning…he…it... it was a hit an' run Bo…"

Now it was Bo's turn to look surprised, though he had to admit it made sense. After all, he hadn't seen Luke for weeks. His clothes, however, were still in the room, his bed not having been slept in. The younger cousin had assumed he was staying in the barn, but even then that didn't explain the hanging row of blue in the closet. Luke had always been one for consistency, it having been drilled into him in the Marines… and one thing Luke did daily without fail was shower after chores, and change his clothes. It was part of his routine… a routine that Bo now realized had been broken weeks ago.

"A hit an' run?!" yelled Bo when he finally found his voice. "How…how bad…"

Daisy bit her lip.

"How bad Daisy?!" persisted Bo his voice becoming slightly higher in pitch.

"He's in a coma…on…on life support," she answered, the tears in her eyes speaking volumes.

Bo swallowed hard, his trembling hand covering his mouth.

"I… I tried t' tell ya honey…" began Daisy tears in her eyes.

Bo felt sick to his stomach. All this time he had thought that his cousin had deserted him. Now it was clear that Bo had been the deserter all along.

"Wh-where is he?"

"At Tri-County…."

Bo heard no more, pushing himself up and stumbling out of bed.

"Bo…"

"I wanna see Luke!" demanded Bo his jaw stern.

"Honey, I don't know if that's such a good idea…" faltered Daisy, not sure if Bo could handle knowing the whole truth about Luke's condition.

"I don't care!" snapped Bo, beyond reason. "Either you take me there or I'll find another way!" With that he slowly made his way to the door, preparing himself to walk the whole way if necessary.

_That there is the reason why I named my mule Bo..._

Daisy sighed. "Alright…get in the jeep…take a blanket with you," she added hoping he wouldn't give her any grief about mothering him.

Bo did as told, not wanting to waste a moment arguing, something inside of him telling him that he didn't have a moment to lose.

Jesse watched as the steaming black liquid trickled down into the paper cup. He marveled at how the coffee had become part of his routine. Truth be told, he'd been drinking so much of the stuff lately he was sure the next time he went for a physical, Doc Applebee would find 100 Columbian coffee instead of blood coursing through his veins. He chuckled a little at the thought, storing it up to tell the boys and Daisy later…if there was to be a later for both boys. He sobered at the thought, making his way down to his nephew's room. He stopped frowning as he saw Luke's doctor leaving the room and come towards him. He didn't look happy.

"Mr. Duke…I'd like to speak with you about your nephew…"

"What's wrong?" asked the patriarch slowly.

"You best sit down..." responded the doctor, pointing to a chair in the waiting room.

_Not again…I can't look..._

_**You know what to do!**_


	22. Fallen Hero

_**Slowly they come, but yes they come…here's the next chappy…forgive me for being slow…I just have many other irons in the fire right now. Hope you like it. This is dedicated to my patient readers. Thank you all!**_

The doctor sat too, setting a file in his lap that Jesse saw was Luke's. "Mr. Duke…Luke started to have some convulsions after you left the room…"

"Convulsions? Well is he alright? Why…?"

The doctor shook his head. "We're running a CT scan on him right now…but…you need to be aware that, in this case, the convulsions are most likely a symptom of a larger problem."

Jesse looked at him setting his cup down thoughtfully. "You talk like…you have an idea of what that problem is…."

"Yes sir I do…I believe that Luke has developed a subdural hematoma…"

Jesse looked at him. "And what's that?"

"Basically it means that he's had a slow bleed on his brain which was undetected in the initial scans… it's built up now to where we are seeing the symptoms."

Jesse swallowed hard. "But…it's fixable right…I mean…you can stop it…"

"Well, here's the situation Mr. Duke…it's been three weeks now. Your nephew is weak at best…if this is a hematoma, and it most likely is, we will need to do a craniotomy."

"You're talkin' all Greek t' me Doc…." retorted Jesse. "Just speak in plain English!"

The doctor sighed. "We'll have to drill into his skull and insert a drainage tube into his brain."

Jesse paled at the thought.

"The thing is Mr. Duke," continued the doctor, "with as weak as he is…and his breathing problems…Mr. Duke I don't think he would survive the operation… and with an acute hematoma…he won't survive without one."

Jesse swallowed hard his hands fingering the fob that hung from his overalls.

"I believe the best thing you can do for him at this point, is to let him go."

"No…"

"Mr. Duke…"

"No…you go make sure that's what it is first…we'll decide from there…" answered Jesse firmly.

The doctor sighed. "Yes sir…I'll touch base with you shortly." Turning, he quickly walked down the corridor.

Jesse meanwhile buried his head in his hands. "My boy…my poor boy…"

It was in this way that Daisy and Bo found their uncle as they came in an hour later.

"Uncle Jesse?!" asked Daisy worriedly.

Jesse looked up into the anxious faces of Daisy and Bo.

"Where's Luke…where is he?" asked Bo prepared to go in search of him.

"Sit down you two…" said Jesse softly, not even expressing any surprise to see Bo there.

"But Luke…" began Bo.

"SIT!" snapped the patriarch.

Bo sat. When his uncle spoke that way, he had no choice but to obey. "Uncle Jesse what…"

Jesse took a deep breath. This was the hardest thing he ever had to say. "Kids...Doc was just here…" He quickly explained everything the doc had told him earlier. "They done the tests now…it's certain…" The patriarch near choked on the next words he spoke. "We gotta make a decision…doc says…it may be kindest t' not make him go through that…"

"Oh Uncle Jesse!" cried Daisy, going quickly to her uncle hugging him.

"No!" shouted Bo, tears forming rapidly in his eyes. "No!"

"Bo son…we need t' think of Luke…doc says he likely ain't gonna survive the operation…an' the operation itself is gonna stress his body out even more…" said Jesse, his voice shaky.

"I don't care what the docs say! They don't know Luke!"

"Bo…" began Daisy hesitantly.

"Don't "Bo" me Daisy! It's true! Luke wouldn't want us givin' up on him…he never gave up… on us…" Here the blond broke down, his body shaking. Luke never had given up on Bo…it had been Bo who deserted him all along. "Where is he?!"

"Restin' in his room. Doc said as soon as we made a decision t' let him know an' we could go from there…" answered the old man softly.

"Well you tell that Doc to do the operation…"

"Bo…son listen t' me…"

"No you listen! Luke is a survivor! He survived Nam! He survived bein' hit with a car! He'll survive this too! He will!"

Daisy bit her lip, salty tears flowing down her cheeks.

"Is that our decision then?" asked Jesse shakily.

"Course it is! Now where's Luke?!"

"Third door on the left," answered Jesse quietly.

Bo nodded walking quickly down the hall. He bit his lip as he came to the door, putting his hand on the cold knob creaking it open. "Luke…" he choked out as he saw his cousin, pale and still on the hospital bed. "Oh God Lukas…"

Swallowing hard against the tears that were already falling, Bo made his way to the bed managing to sit in the worn chair beside it before his knees gave out. "Lukas…" Carefully he picked up his cousin's hand, near dropping it as he felt how limp it was and how clammy.

"Luke you can't do this you hear me?! You can't just give up!" Scrubbing a hand down his face, he allowed it to come to rest over his mouth, his baby blue eyes closed against the tears as they leaked out steadily. "Luke, please…." he choked. "Please…don't leave me. Prove 'em wrong Lukas…prove 'em all wrong…"

He looked to the monitors, half expecting them to start beeping faster as Luke made his recovery. He was Luke after all… Luke the survivor… "C'mon Luke…" he said softly willing his heart rate to improve, for him to start breathing on his own again.

It didn't happen.

"Luke…Luke I'm sorry…I'm so sorry…" began Bo, taking his IV'd hand in both of his, massaging his knuckles gently. Carefully he turned the limp hand over in his own, revealing the faint scar on the palm, pressing his own scarred palm over it. "I need my big brother Luke…I...I know I ain't acted like it lately…I been a class-A jerk… but I do….I need you so much…I always have…"

Again he looked hopefully to the monitors. No change.

Bo found it hard to keep back his tears. "Luke please…please…I didn't mean it Luke…" he choked out, his baby blue eyes dripping tears non-stop. "If I'd known…I never…God Luke come back…come back brother…"

There was no sound save for the rhythmic hiss of the ventilator.

"I ain't givin' up on you Lukas…I'm gonna stay right here. I ain't movin' til you tell me to…you hear me?!" he said stubbornly.

Luke didn't answer.

His lip quivering at the silence, Bo carefully ran his hand over the hair on Luke's head, mindful of the many tubes attached to him. "Luke…I…I know we don't tell each other this enough…I guess…we just assume we know but…I love you…I love you so much Lukas…you gotta be okay…you just gotta…" he said shakily.

When again there was no response Bo broke down sobbing holding Luke's limp hand to his heart. "What've I done…oh Lord…what've I done?!"

_**you know what to do!**_


	23. Empty Holes

Three weeks later, Bo was still sitting vigil at his cousin's side

_**I won't bother giving a lot of excuses 'cuz I am so late. But I will say I did have a bad case of writers block coupled with no time. I blame John for my writer's block 'cuz after getting a kiss from him you don't really think about anything else…hehe. Dukesfest was awesome! As you can tell! I got to go with my wonderful buddy Anakin's Girl 4eva (on here) and that was great... and if you get the DVD you will see me on it a lot 'cuz I was chosen as an Ultimate Duke Fan!! WOOOOO!! So yeah….I have been busy…if you want to know more, just ask, but otherwise hope you enjoy!**_

_**Jordyn**_

Three weeks later, Bo was still sitting vigil at his cousin's side. He was plagued with guilt for the things he had said and done. In truth, he felt as much responsible as the unknown driver. If only he had listened to him…treated him decently…

The last thing Bo could remember saying to him was to leave…to get out. The blond shook his head as tears dripped silently. "I shouldn't have said that…I never wanted you to leave, Luke…not really…" He sighed as again there was no response. "Luke you have got to pull through this…you've got to…"

"Son," said Jesse as he came into the room. "I brung ya some vittles…an' I want ya t' eat em."

"Uncle Jesse, I…"

"I know ya ain't hungry…but you ain't gonna be no good t'him if yer fallin over from hunger yaself. He'd want ya t' eat," insisted Jesse.

Bo took the sack lunch Jesse brought for him, not wanting to argue. Daisy had purposely packed a few of his favorite things into the sack to tempt his appetite: a couple of her homemade cookies, some fried chicken, and a piece of cornbread. Bo managed to choke down the food but it all tasted the same to him. The food, like his life without Luke, had lost all flavor.

"How's our boy?" asked Jesse, making his way over to the bed laying his calloused hand over Luke's clammy one.

"He's the same…always…always the same," muttered Bo trying his best not to break down crying right then and there.

Swallowing Jesse crossed to his youngest encircling his shoulders in a hug. "Son…we can still let him go…"

Bo's gentle eyes became like blue fire in an instant as he turned on his uncle. "Oh that's your suggestion for everything ain't it?! He ain't some chicken that gets killed on the road and replaced a week later…it's Luke!!"

"I know it's Luke, son," began Jesse calmly. "But it's been weeks…there ain't been no change…no sign that he's getting any better…no sign he even knows we's here…"

"He knows," interrupted Bo.

"Son, Luke is in pain. You can see the lines on his face. Is it really fair to him to live his life this way? Look at him son."

Bo looked. He looked long and hard, his uncle's words ringing like mournful chimes in his ears. He was so pale, so hurt, so…lifeless. The harder Bo looked the more he feared that his uncle would be right, that there really was nothing else they could do. Trembling horribly, he lifted Luke's hand into his own once more as tears dripped down his face shaking his head. "I can't…I can't…I need him…"

Jesse nodded as he gave his youngest a half-hug. He couldn't bare the thought of Luke going through this… of either of his boys going through what they had been through. He didn't understand why.

He looked at the teary face of his youngest, whose hair was now starting to grow back from the areas that had been singed, his face still splotched with areas of red, and a scar on his temple that no one had an explanation for. Bo had been through Hell and back…and now, apparently it was Luke's turn. Had his faith not been so strong, Jesse would have sworn God had it in for his boys.

Bo sighed. There were so many questions surrounding what had happened… so many holes that had never been filled. He had, at the time, assumed that Luke would figure it all out. He always did. In fact, Bo had wondered how he would be able to, sticking as close to Bo as he had been doing… "Til I put a stop to that," added Bo tearily to himself. He remembered sometimes waking up at night and finding Luke there with him, holding him as he screamed. His voice was always so calming…and not only the voice, but the words it spoke. The promises to make it all better, the promises…

Bo stopped his reverie looking to Luke and swallowing hard. The promises Luke had made, talking as if not only he had a plan, but with, Bo remembered now, that familiar sparkle of determination…the kind of determination that characterized Luke Duke when a plan was being carried out.

The words he had spoken to Jesse just moment before took on new meaning now. "He knows." Did he know? Did he stumble on the truth of what happened to Bo? Bo didn't know quite when he would have done that, being with him as much as he was, but then again those last few days….

The wheels in Bo's head had never spun so fast. It was almost like, for that one moment in time, Luke's mind and Bo's were one and Bo knew instantly that Luke's accident was not an accident, just as what happened with Bo was not an accident. Obviously they both knew things that someone did not want them to know. The problem was, Bo still couldn't remember what it was he knew. One thing Bo did know was that as long as they were here, in the hospital and alive, they were not safe.

Bo swallowed hard realizing the truth of Jesse's words. "Sometime's you have to let 'em go." There was no way in Hell that Bo Duke was going to let anyone harm his cousin again…and if he had to give him up to stop that from happening…then that was what he would have to do.

**_I need some encouragement if you still like this story, so please let me know:)_**


	24. Boar's Nest Blues

It didn't take long for all of Hazzard to find out about Luke

_**Here you go…the next chappie in less than a month!! Yay me. Please let me know what you think.**_

It didn't take long for all of Hazzard to find out about Luke. News spread like wildfire that, come Friday, there would no longer be "the Duke boys." There would only be Bo... that was, of course if the youngest cousin would survive without his best friend. Those who knew him best would not bet on it.

The whole town seemed to shut down, as if in mourning itself. Cooter closed the garage for the week. He didn't have the heart to fix cars, and truth be told, without Bo and Luke around, there were far fewer cars to be fixed. Of course the county buildings didn't close officially, but no one was ever there. The one place that remained open as usual was the Boar's Nest, but even then nothing was as it had been. Now, instead of coming for a good time of drinkin' and jukin', the good folks of Hazzard just gathered, talking about Luke and Bo.

"I just can't eat Rosco," said Boss sadly pushing away the plate of pork jowls. "I just ain't hungry."

Rosco sighed as he held Flash in his arms. "I know whatcha mean little fat buddy…Flash…she won't eat any of her doggy num-nums…she just moans an' groans."

As if on cue Flash let out a mournful bark, her eyes drooping sadly.

"You know I remember when Jesse and Lavinia first got Luke…such a quiet, shy little thing…he was only about four years old." began Miz Tisdale, sipping her drink and wiping her eyes under her glasses. "Jesse had brought him with him to get the mail…"

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"Emma…Emma there's someone I'd like ya t' meet," said Jesse cheerfully as he and Lavinia came into the post office.

"Take a number," answered the postmistress without turning around.

"Emma there ain't no one else here…"

"Jesse I'm sorry but regulations is regulations…even for you."

Jesse exchanged a look with his wife. Lavinia just shrugged with a smile, holding the little baby Beauregard in her arms. Everyone in Hazzard knew that Emma Tisdale had had an eye for Jesse Duke since they was knee high to grasshoppers. Lavinia thought it a great joke. Jesse did not.

"Alright… alright…" He took a number and stood waiting.

"Seven," called Emma.

"That'd be me," said Jesse handing her the number.

""ID please?"

"Emma what in Sam Hill…you's known me since…"

"Regulations, Jesse. Regulations," answered Miz Tisdale in a no-nonsense voice.

Jesse fumed before taking out his driver's license.

Miz Tisdale looked it over, and then looked up at him. "Ya always were such a handsome man… if you ever get tired of him Lavinia, send him my way…"

Jesse growled to Lavinia's chuckle. "I'll do that."

"No mail today," informed the post-mistress.

"Well that's alright… we had someone we wanted you to meet," answered Lavinia.

"Oh?"

Jesse nodded. "Luke…boy come on out here and say hello."

Miz Tisdale peeked over the counter. There, hiding behind his aunt's skirt, was a small child, no more than four or five.

"Who've we got here, Jesse?" asked Miz Tisdale, coming out from behind the counter.

"This is Luke… Jacob's boy," said Jesse a hint of sadness on his lips.

Miz Tisdale nodded her understanding. Everyone knew about the tragic accident that had claimed the child's parents, not 6 months after another accident had claimed little Beauregard's. "Well hello there Luke…."

The little boy didn't turn around, his unruly dark curls becoming more mussed as he hid further into his aunt.

"Shy little thing ain't he?" she began. "I like your shirt Luke…are those trucks on it?"

"Cars," came a soft whisper from the depths of the gingham dress Lavinia wore.

Lavinia patted his soft curls encouragingly. The little boy never had been much of a talker, and now, since the accident, he had scarcely said anything to anyone.

"You like cars?" continued Miz Tisdale.

Little Luke gave a small nod.

"How 'bout motorcycles?"

Again Luke nodded.

"I've got one…you wanna see it?"

Luke peeked out from behind his aunt.

"You can even sit on it…if it's ok with your aunt an' uncle…"

Luke sucked his thumb, as he always did when nervous but looked at her, his desire to go look getting stronger.

"So…what d'ya say? You wanna come see it?" She held out her hand to him.

Luke looked up at his aunt and uncle to find them smiling and nodding at him. Swallowing behind his thumb, he put his free hand in hers. Miz Tisdale put up her out-to-lunch sign and led Luke to the back of the post office where her bike was kept, letting him sit on it and play with the switches until even his curious mind was satisfied. For that one hour, Luke forgot his troubles with the elasticity of any other child, forgoing his sadness with wonderment of how a radio worked and what made motorbikes sound so much different than cars.

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"He had the most beautiful blue eyes…" she added softly, always having had a tender spot in her heart for Luke. "Such a handsome young man…it's a shame."

"What I'd give t' get hold of the fellas what done this…" said Enos softly. His big grin was gone from his face. Luke had been a close friend. "I 'member the first time I really talked to him…we was in school…I was gettin' bullied a little bit…"

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"Enos is a 'fraidy cat! Enos is a 'fraidy cat!" taunted Ernie Ledbetter in the middle of the school yard, after having stolen Enos's lunch for the third day that week…it was only Wednesday. "C'mon Momma's boy! You want me to stop takin' yer lunch?! Make me!!" With that he punched Enos hard, the boy falling to the ground, about to cry at any moment.

"He ain't gotta do nothin' Ledbottom," retorted Luke, seeming to appear out of nowhere. "Now…you give his lunch back an' apologize."

"Who's gonna make me-you?!" he laughed.

Luke felt the tips of his ears growing red with anger. He had always had a problem with his anger. Its root was the loss of his parents. He had learned to control it pretty well, but with Ernie Ledbetter he didn't even bother to try to calm himself. He punched first and punched hard, right smack dab into Ernie's nose. Something cracked as the blood began to gush but Luke didn't care. He tackled Ernie to the ground, rolling around with him, the two fighting like banny roosters.

Enos simply watched, tears falling down his cheeks.

Finally the teacher had come, tearing them off of each other. Luke had a split lip and had torn his best shirt. Ernie had a broken nose, and a rapidly swelling eye. Both were sent home for the day for fighting in school, and of course Jesse had held true to his word that if the boys got in trouble at school, they'd be in twice the trouble when they returned home.

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"He didn't sit a week after that," remembered the deputy. "But when I asked him…why…why he done it…he said I was his friend…an' no one picks on his friends…he…he barely knew me…but…he called me his friend…" The deputy sniffed.

Lulu Hogg sat at a table with her husband, eating the hog jowls he had lost his appetite for. Lulu tended to eat when she was upset, and since all this with Bo and Luke started, she had gained fifteen pounds.

"It didn't matter what I was wearin'…or how I looked…Luke always made me feel like the most beautiful woman in the room!" she cried, muffling her sobs with a jelly donut.

"I always wished he was on my side," said Boss Hogg softly. "That boy could think his way outta anything…well…almost…" he added with a sniff, knowing that even Luke couldn't out-think death. "That poor, poor family…."

Such went the conversations, well into the night, until gradually the sad and weary patrons went home.

Meantime, the minutes ticked away towards the final goodbye.

_**Please continue the encouraging words…you can see they help a lot (at least to post quicker!)**_


	25. Goodbye

**This chapter is short on words, but I think you will agree it's not lacking in volume. Enjoy! Jordyn**

"My special boy," said Jesse softly as he caressed his eldest's dark curls for what would be the last time. "You always made me so proud…so proud…." Tears fell down his cheeks, losing themselves in his white beard. "My little Luke…"

Daisy may have been his little girl, and Bo his baby, but Luke was his first little boy, his special little guy. Luke was the first to ride on a tractor with his uncle, the first to ride a two-wheeled bike, the first to learn to drive. It was Luke who had the first kiss of all the cousins, and it was Luke who also had the first broken heart. Constantly, Luke had been the leader, unconsciously breaking the path so that his cousins might follow in his footsteps.

He may have been his brother's boy, but he was, for all purposes, Jesse's son. It sometimes seemed there was nothing Luke couldn't do when he set his mind to it, and Jesse couldn't have been prouder. Now though, now he wanted nothing more than for his little boy to be the first to defy death….to get up and walk out of the room. He longed to see his blue eyes sparkle with mischief just once more; to see his smile; hear his laughter. Instead he saw the machines breathing for his child. He heard the soft hisses and beeps telling him Luke was alive but barely. He felt his hands, warm but lifeless. Softly he stroked the ashen cheek. He didn't want to let him go, but he knew he had to. He quietly wiped his teary eyes again stroking Luke's hair. "I love you son…know that I love ya."

Daisy, too, just hugged Luke's limp hand close to her heart. For as long as she could remember, Luke had been a part of her life. More than just a cousin, he was her protector, her righter of wrongs, her confidante. Now, here he lay, fighting a losing battle with death. She tried to say her own final words, but only choked sobs left her lips every time she opened her mouth. Luke was her big brother and the thought of giving him up was more than she could handle.

Bo simply stood by watching his family, biting his quivering lip. What he was about to do went against every principle Jesse had taught him. It was wrong in so many ways, but, deep in his heart, Bo knew that despite everything, it was the ONLY way. He glanced out the window. Outside people were enjoying life, bicycling, walking, talking…small things he himself once took for granted. He stared at his cousin swallowing. There was every likelihood Luke would never again enjoy those simple pleasures. Even the doctors had said that, if he did wake up, there would likely be lasting effects, to what extent even they didn't know. It wouldn't be fair. Besides, whoever did this was still out there somewhere...maybe in the very hospital they were at just waiting to finish the job. Bo swallowed at that shaking his head slightly. He wasn't going to let anyone hurt Luke again…ever.

Swallowing he sat beside his brother, picking up Luke's hand in his own scarred one. "Luke…I…I wantcha to know…I love ya…I love ya so much…." Tears started to cascade down his face, not daring to look at Jesse or Daisy, knowing that they too were crying. Bo gently caressed his knuckles with his thumb. "I'm so sorry…I let things…get so outta hand…I…" He stopped glancing through the see-through wall of his room. People in white coats were bustling about, some talking, others just standing by knowing that Luke's time had come. Bo raised his eyes to look at his uncle. Jesse was holding Daisy close in a hug just nodding to him gently.

"Let him go, son…" said Jesse in a quivering voice, tears rolling down his cheeks. "S'time t' let him go."

Bo looked down once more at Luke, tears dripping down his cheeks, choked sobs in his throat. "I'll love you all my life Lukas," he said softly. Drawing a quivering breath he bent down, kissing Luke's temple softly, running a hand gently through his dark curls before turning to the monitor. His hand shook as he glanced at his brother again, his best friend…

"Forgive me…" With that, he flipped the switch, swallowing hard as Luke's monitor flat-lined.

It was over.

_Did I just see what I think I saw?_

**Yup Balladeer you sure did. Let me know what ya think…. You know what to do.**


	26. He's Gone

_**In celebration of Hump Day…here you go. This is dedicated to my boss in honor of Boss's Day tomorrow! Enjoy! -Jordyn**_

Silence followed Daisy Duke like a shadow when she stepped into the Boar's Nest later that night. Normally, she would walk briskly in, greet a few friends, grab her order pad and pen, and get to work.

Tonight she did none of that.

Instead she walked in slowly biting her lip as if afraid she would burst into tears at any moment. She took a stool by the bar and ordered her first drink of the night, doubting highly it would be her last.

Normally, she didn't turn to drink when she was upset. Having worked in the Boar's Nest for as many years as she did, she was no stranger to the effects alcohol had on the body, especially when someone was trying to drown their sorrows in it… but tonight she didn't care a bit.

"He's gone," answered Daisy in response to the stillness in the room. She choked a little as she spoke, the two words hard to say, harder still to believe.

Cooter Davenport hung his head over his coffee cup, biting his lip, before pushing himself away from the table and going to Daisy. He didn't know what to say: he along with the rest of Hazzard was in shock.

For so long it seemed that the Duke boys were invincible though that wasn't to say they never got hurt. It was true that both boys had had their fair share of brawls… with each other and in the bar room, and of course, no one could race cars and not expect to get hurt every once in a while. Doc Appleby was rumored to have a special drawer full of stitching supplies and bandages for Bo's special use because he was always falling or taking a chance of one sort or another, ever in a hurry. Luke seemed to be prone to bumps on the head. Boss Hogg would have said it was because of Luke sticking his nose into other people's business, namely his, but as many times, as he had incurred a bump to his skull or Bo a cut, none of these injuries were ever serious, and both boys always bounced back with redoubled vigor… at least, that was how it used to be.

"I'm sorry Daisy," offered Cooter quietly sitting beside her. "If there's anything I can do…"

Daisy nodded. "There is Cooter… buy me another drink."

Cooter bit his lip, not at all liking where this was going. Fortunately though, Charlie, the bartender, was watching out for Daisy too, putting special care to make the watered down beer even more watered down than normal so that by the time her fourth beer came around, she was closer to drowning than drunkenness.

Daisy stayed quiet all night, ever-faithful Cooter beside her. He knew she would talk when she was ready and until then, he'd be there to offer silent support.

She was swallowing the last amber liquid from the bottom of her glass when she felt a hand on her shoulder.

The female cousin looked up to see her uncle staring down at her, looking older than ever before. His laughing eyes had lost their twinkle. Now they just looked sad and weary.

Daisy started to say something, but could only sniff and slide off the stool, wrapping her arms around her uncle, hiding her face against him.

"Shhh…shhh…he ain't in no more pain…it's alright now…"

"I miss him!" cried Daisy, tears trickling down her face, the Boar's Nest patrons just sitting in silent sympathy.

"I know…we all do baby," said the old man, a world of understanding in his voice.

"Wh-where's Bo?"

Jesse sighed. "He didn't wanna come home tonight…"

"What…why?! Uncle Jesse we need to be together!"

"Daisy think about what you're sayin' now... all his life…he has shared a room with Luke…except for the four years Luke was in the Marines… and then he had a promise that he was coming back to hold on to… he said he just can't face seeing all the trophies they'd won together, the two of everything in that there room…his clothes and boots where he left 'em…" Jesse's voice cracked as he added. "I didn't blame him."

"Where's he gonna be though…he shouldn't be alone…" said Daisy, worried for him.

"He promised me that he'd sleep at either your place tonight Cooter or Enos's…." answered Jesse, though directing it at Cooter.

"I'll leave the light on for him," answered the mechanic without a moment's hesitation.

Jesse nodded. "Bo said as much…"

"How's he taking it?" Cooter couldn't help but ask.

Jesse sighed heavily. "He's doin' the best he can…" began the old man positively, "but Bo's a talker…an' he just ain't sayin much about it…that concerns me."

Cooter nodded his understanding.

"Maybe…a good night's sleep will help more than anything…"

"I hope so Uncle Jesse," answered Daisy meekly knowing full well that sleep wasn't what Bo needed most; he needed Luke.

_**Let me know what ya think! Click that itty bitty button…yeah you know the one…move your mouse over it and click! A comment box opens up! Wow! Use it! You know you want to….**_


	27. Forgive Me

_**This is very likely the last one til Christmas unless inspiration strikes as it did tonight…if so Merry Christmas everyone!**_

Bo didn't go to Cooter's.

In fact, he didn't go anywhere. He simply sat in the chair that had become his second home and thought about Luke, tears rolling down his cheeks.

* * *

He had done well with his tears until they had come to take Luke. Bo wanted to look away, but he couldn't. He watched swallowing as the nurse gently pulled the sheet over his best friend's head, wheeling him out. It's wasn't until Luke's hand fell lifelessly off the side of the gurney, the faint line of the blood-brother scar barely visible waving a limp goodbye, that Bo broke down and sobbed heart-wrenching cries. Daisy had run out at this point, leaving Bo in his uncle's care.

"He loved you son…" began Jesse, doing his best to comfort his baby boy as he sat beside him and hugged him close. "He loved you so much."

Bo could only nod his sobs not allowing him to speak. He knew without a doubt that Luke loved him…but did he know how much Bo loved him in return…that the reason he had done what he did was because he loved Luke so very much? He didn't know and the thought that Luke might never know brought on more tears. There were so many arguments that he never should have given, so many times he could have held his tongue…times the banter went a little too far and feelings got hurt…times when Bo, annoyed at Luke's protective ways, would tell him to leave him alone…Bo wished he could take it all back. In fact, he'd give anything in the world to have Luke call him a turnip-brain one more time…

Jesse waited until Bo's sobs had died down into gentle crying when he suggested they go home and rest. Bo would have none of it.

"Don't make me go Jesse please!" he begged not even realizing that he had dropped the uncle… a mannerism he had unconsciously learned from Luke.

Jesse looked surprised at first, but smiled a sad gentle smile knowing that Luke lived on in Bo more than anyone realized.

"Our room…our trophies…our…our…," he choked. "Our everything…"

Jesse nodded understandingly, his tired calloused hand sweeping through Bo's blond locks. "Well where will ya go son?"

"I'll stay with Cooter…or Enos…I'll be ok…"

Jesse looked into his nephew's teary eyes. "You want I have one of 'em come getcha?"

"No sir…I…I just want some time…ok?

"If you're sure…" said Jesse, a hand on his shoulder.

"I am."

Jesse nodded wiping Bo's eyes tenderly and kissed Bo's temple gently. "I love you son," he said realizing himself that there had been times he could have said the same thing to Luke, but hadn't.

Bo hugged him tight. "Love you."

Jesse nodded hugging him back before leaving Bo alone with his thoughts. It went against everything he wanted to do. He wanted to draw both his little chicks he had left close to his nest, keeping them safe under his wings…but right now, he knew that what Bo needed most, besides Luke, was time… so time was what Jesse would give him.

* * *

Bo didn't know if what he had done was right. How could anyone know? But the facts were these:

First, Luke was in pain. Bo swallowed hard thinking of the tears falling unconsciously from his cousin's closed eyes, the way his blood pressure elevated as the medicine wore off. He was in pain there was no doubt about that…and the only way to keep him from feeling the pain was to keep him so drugged that he couldn't feel anything…a vegetable. Luke wouldn't want that.

Secondly, the person or persons responsible were still at large… and Bo reasoned if they wanted to cover whatever tracks Luke had discovered bad enough, they would make sure and finish what they had started. Luke wasn't able to protect himself and Bo refused to let anyone hurt him again. Ever.

The doctors had no hope for Luke to come out of his coma and even if he did, chances were good that he would never be the same as he was, mentally or physically. Bo could still hear the doctor's words echoing in his mind: severe trauma, brain damage, internal bleeding, life support…

Bo sniffed hard the tears dripping from his face. No one would choose to live that way…Luke especially. Luke had always been active, maybe not physically but always mentally. His mind was like a well-oiled machine, always running, always thinking, even if there was nothing pressing to think about. The possibility of that machine no longer able to function would greatly impair an ordinary man…it would kill Luke.

He knew the facts like the back of his hand. All were logical…all made sense to his mind…

His heart was another story. Shakily Bo ran his hands down from his hair covering his face as he closed his eyes and said almost like a prayer, "forgive me Luke…forgive me…"

**Don't be a grinch! Leave a review if you like it! :-)**


	28. The Search Begins

**I know…I know…I'm sorry…I didn't intend to take so long but life took over… the next chapter will not take 3 months I promise! Thank you to all my patient readers… enjoy.**

The days that followed were hard ones for the Duke family. Jesse and Bo carried on with work as usual, but when chores and breakfast were finished, Bo always found some excuse to leave the farm and was gone all day long. No one knew for sure where he was, but everyone had their own speculations. Ever-positive Daisy thought that perhaps he was at the Atlanta Speedway, running laps with old friends and finding comfort behind the wheel; Jesse took a more sober outlook, imagining his youngest getting in touch with nature and thinking tender thoughts about his brother, finding reassurance from a babbling brook, a sermon from the Georgia sun, and strength as he looked at the mountains. Both were far from the truth…

Bo was searching, but not for comfort or reassurance. He wanted answers, and though he would never admit it to Jesse, he wanted revenge. His uncle had always told him that Dukes took revenge out on property, not people, but Bo felt that no property could come close to the value of Luke and that, whoever had hurt his cousin, deserved whatever Bo could dish out. He hated worrying his family, but he told himself that the sooner the truth came out, the sooner everyone could move on. This motivation drove him onward, despite the obstacles of not knowing who he was looking for, or where to look for them.

Ever-faithful Cooter had pledged his help from the very beginning. His reasoning was two-fold really…without Bo and Luke around business had dwindled down, giving him more time on his hands than he knew what to do with; the other reason was that Bo and Luke had always been like the brothers he never had…and he wasn't about to lose another one.

"You sure you don't wanna tell your family what we're doing buddy-roe?"

"Cooter, the last thing they need is t' be more worried about me…"

"I guess you're right," admitted Cooter as the two once again pulled up to the place that Enos had found Luke. "Why are we here again? We been over this place with a fine-toothed comb…"

Bo shook his head. "I dunno…I just got a feeling that…we missed somethin'…somethin' obvious…"

Cooter sighed but with Bo hopped out of the truck. The General would have been faster, but Bo refused to get in it; the General had belonged to both of them… and without Luke, the team was incomplete.

Bo bit his lip thinking. Cooter was right…they had turned the area upside down and searched all over for clues of any kind. Tire tracks were long gone due to the recent rains…anything that had been alongside the road now gone too. Still…Bo walked off the road into the thick underbrush nearby, kicking weeds aside with his boot. Nothing. He slowly headed back to the truck, hating the fact that Cooter was right, when something white caught his eye, waving from where it had snagged on a rock. Bo bent down to lift it up his eyes widening.

* * *

Bo heard the sound of sheep bawling anxiously some yards away. He hurt…and he felt hot…too hot. He tried to open his eyes but only managed to squint, starting to cough as smoke filled his lungs. He couldn't move, but he had to move…and he had to move quick. He tried reaching from his knife, but it was gone from his belt. Shadows danced on the walls, as he coughed drying out for help desperately as he tried to free himself. He didn't know how he got here, but there was no time to think about it. He somehow managed to slide up against the wall when something sliced through his shoulder. The Duke boy hissed in pain realizing that it was a thick nail sticking through the wood. With all his might he rubbed vigorously against it until he felt the ropes breaking that bound his hands. Driven by adrenaline, Bo soon had his arms free and had yanked the rope from his legs as well. He made for the thin ray of light peeking through what he could only hope was the doors of the barn he was in. A crack was heard overhead. Bo looked up to see a piece of the roof falling down on top of him. With a desperate scream, he ran for the doors despite the fact they were blocked by the fire. Uttering a prayer he threw himself at them, landing with a sickening thud outside the barn, his body engulfed in flames.

He screamed, tears of pain burning his eyes as he rolled on the grass, trying desperately to rid himself of the heat that surrounded him. He eventually managed to tear off his shirt, crawling as far from the barn and towards the sound of the sheep, reasoning to himself that where there were sheep, there may be water…

* * *

"Bo"? You okay? Bo?" asked Cooter coming over worried at the far-away expression on Bo's face.

Bo showed him the wool in his hand.

Cooter frowned. "That's funny… ain't a sheep farm around here for miles..."

Bo shook his head. "The…the barn…the barn I was in…was a sheep farm…"

Cooter looked at him. "What…"

Bo looked closer at the wool. "There's grease on it," he said softly as he fingered it. "It…it musta been stuck on the car…or under the engine or somethin'"

"Bo you sayin' you think …you think that there piece of wool…"

"How else would it get here Cooter…there aren't many sheep around Hazzard…you said so yourself!"

"I know buddy but…"

"We're lookin' in the wrong spot… we don't gotta look where Luke got hurt to find them…we gotta…we gotta get to that barn…"

Cooter scratched his head. "Well…someone had t be livin' there…if they had sheep…but…who would set their own barn on fire?"

"I dunno…but I'm gonna find out…let's go…"

_Now I don't know about y'all, but I wouldn't go to the refrigerator now…_

**The next one won't be so long in coming…I promise. Please let me know how you like it…and rest assured…this story is faaaar from over!**


	29. Among the Ashes

_**The road is paved with good intentions…this story is by no means done yet…it's just finding the time to do it! I am in the process of moving right now so it is taking a while…I will keep at it though I promise. I dedicate this chapter to my faithful readers who are sticking with me and still adding the story as a favorite even though updates have been slow….thank you. Hopefully the next one won't be so long in coming….Jordyn**_

A few hours later, Cooter pulled up to a two-story farmhouse, the remains of a barn in a charred pile some distance from the driveway. "Here we are. This is the property they found ya at…an yer right…there's the barn…" he nodded at the pastures of white blurs beyond the house. "An' I'm guessin' them's yer sheep."

Bo only nodded. "Let's go," he said much braver than he felt. Getting out of the car, he made his way up the old, creaking steps, knocking on the door. Cooter stood beside him, thumbs hooked in his jeans. If it was true that the owners of this place had been the ones to kill one friend and traumatize another, the mechanic was bound and determined to make them pay.

The door opened slowly, a woman about the size of Emma Tisdale and about her age answering it. "Can I help you young men?"

Bo swallowed. "I…I'm lookin' for the owners of this place…."

"You found 'em…well…me and my husband...he's takin' a nap don'tcha know…" She stood tip toe to whisper in Bo's ear, though Bo still had to bend over near double to make out what she was about to say. "He ain't as young as he used t' be."

"Ma'am…I…I wanted to talk to you…about the barn fire…"

The woman nodded sadly. "Horrible thing…but it's a wonder we didn't lose all the sheep…the house even…"

Cooter put a supportive hand on Bo's shoulder.

"Yes ma'am…see I wanted…t' talk to you about that…I…"

"Apparently there was some vagrant in the barn…Lord knows what he was doing…but Jimmy saved his life… found him by the brook an' took him to the hospital…Jimmy says he probably was the one t' start the fire…but I guess we'll never know for sure..."

Bo exchanged glances with Cooter. It was evident that he himself was the "vagrant" she spoke of, but who was this Jimmy? This person that just happened to show up out of nowhere, just in time?

"Jimmy?" he asked.

The woman nodded, coming out onto the porch to sweep as she talked. "Nice young man…hadn't even been hired on for more than three weeks…why…if it weren't for him putting the sheep out earlier than normal that morning…we'd likely not have any left…"

Bo swallowed hard, as did Cooter. "Where can we find this Jimmy?"

She looked at him. "Are you looking for a farm hand too?"

"Yes ma'am…you might say that…"

"Well, I'm not sure exactly where he is right this moment…. He had been visiting a friend in the hospital and…well apparently the friend didn't make it…so he's had some affairs to help settle."

Cooter bit his lip. "Will he be coming back here?"

The woman nodded. "Most likely though…he sometimes don't get back 'til real early in the morning…"

"Is there any other place we might find him? It's real important…" persisted Bo, giving her his best puppy-dog eyes that younger women never could resist…with any luck it would work on the older ones too.

"You might try Cheap Charlie's over on Cottondale Road. He likes to stop by and have a drink every so often and…between you and me…," she began, once more standing tip-toe to whisper in Bo's ear. "I think he's smitten with little Mary Sue Tippen….she works there ya know…"

Bo nodded, his mind racing. "Y-yes ma'am…we best be going…thank-you."

"If you see Jimmy, tell him I've got dinner keeping warm in the drawer for him!"

Bo was already half-way across the yard. Cooter, gentleman that he was, tipped his greasy hat to the lady and smiled. "We'll do that, ma'am. Bye now" With that he left her to her sweeping, hurrying to join Bo who had already started the tow truck and was waiting anything but patiently.

"Hurry up Cooter!"

"I'm hurryin' Buddyroe…" he said as he started the truck taking off towards Cottondale Road. "Rome weren't built in a day ya know," he said in the hopes of some light-hearted humor to take some of the anxiety he knew Bo was feeling away.

"If Rome waited on you it'd never get built at all," muttered Bo with a sigh before he turned apologetically to his friend. "Sorry…weren't no call to be like that."

Cooter only chuckled. Having been friends with Bo and Luke as long as he had he could banter with the best of them and, being of an easy-going nature, it took a lot to ruffle his feathers. "Don't worry bout it."

Bo nodded looking out the window, his jaw set in anticipation. Maybe once he found this Jimmy he could put an end to it all… and dish out some good old-fashioned justice, Bo Duke style. He owed it to himself, but more than anything, he owed it to Luke.


	30. Answers

_**My Halloween gift to you all…an update! Thanks for stickin' with me…enjoy and please review! -Jordyn**_

**_WARNING! This chapter is rated T for language._**

Cheap Charlie's looked a lot like it sounded. The customers were by no means the jet-set of Atlanta. Most were just good ol' boys looking for good ol' times. And a few, Bo reckoned as he scanned the hard faces in the barroom, were there simply to lay low for a while, staying out of the limelight for whatever reason.

Cooter hitched his thumbs into his jeans and set his jaw, like Bo noticing the tough faces of the men in the room. He may have been a happy-go-lucky grease-monkey with a wide toothy grin, but Cooter Davenport could hold his own in any brawl when he had a mind to… and knowing that one of the men in here may have been the ones to hurt his friends…well that put him in a mind to right quick.

Bo must have been thinking the same thing. Though normally the blond Duke carried himself with an easy saunter, today he held his head high, taking every advantage that his 6'4 frame could demand. His happy grin was gone…replaced by a stern frown…the mark of a man on a mission.

Bo went to the bar motioning the bartender over.

"What d'ya want," he asked, in a tone anything but hospitable.

"Some information," answered Bo not about to be deterred by the man's gruffness. "I'm lookin' for a fella that comes here…named Jimmy…you know him?"

The man gave a smirk. "Well maybe I do and maybe I don't…what's it to you?"

Bo scowled and took out his wallet. He had a five-dollar bill… that was all. Chances were that it wouldn't be enough, but he had to try. He reached in to offer the money when he felt Cooter's hand on his shoulder stopping him. The mechanic reached into his pocket pulling out a twenty dollar bill, handing it to the man.

The bartender pocketed the money and laughed as if he just heard a great joke. "Turn around fellas…he's right behind ya," he said pointing to a smoky corner of the room.

Bo immediately began walking in that direction, though with all the smoke and dim light in the room, he wasn't able to make out anything but a shadow. Soon though, Bo came to an abrupt halt causing Cooter, who had been right at his heels, to bump into him.

"Bo…"

The young Duke's jaw was tight, recognition seen clearly in his eyes. "Cooter call the police…"

"What…"

"There's about to be a murder."

Within seconds Bo was standing tall and terrible over the man's table, his shadow looming like a storm cloud.

"You want somethin' stranger?" asked Jimmy staring up at Bo.

"Oh not much… just wondered if you recognized me is all… course probably after ya kill a few people they all start lookin' alike to you…. An' I look a might different since the fire you put me in…" he smirked slightly. "Course maybe Luke toldja that you failed…that I survived…maybe he told you that right before you ran him over you son-of-a…"

Jimmy pushed the table he'd been sitting at into Bo and took off out the door at a dead run.

Bo barely took time to blink. He knew full well that the old tow truck would never catch a lighter car…especially not when the driver did not want to be caught. So quicker than a tomcat on a mouse did Bo take off after the man, determined to stop him from leaving the parking lot. A swift tackle was all it took.

"Get offa me!"

"Not til you pay for what you done t'Luke!"

"I didn't lay a finger on your blasted cousin!"

Bo slammed him hard against the floor for that. "No? Then who told you Luke was my cousin?!" He didn't wait for an answer. All the anger and fear and hatred welling inside of him let loose like a locomotive: powerful and unstoppable.

Cooter and a few of the locals eventually managed to tear Bo off of him, Bo fighting with all he was worth to finish him off. "Lemme go, Cooter! Damn it…lemme go he's gotta pay!!!!" yelled Bo, a dribble of blood trailing down from a split lip, his hand holding his stomach yet still scrambling to go after the semi-conscious man that lay still on the floor.

Cooter kept a firm hold, never having seen Bo so angry. The youngest Duke had always been said to have a quick temper, but in his eyes Cooter didn't see anger. He didn't even see rage. He saw pure unadulterated hatred. "Bo…he's done…he ain't gonna hurt you or Luke no more…c'mon now…"

Bo was shaking, overcome with the many emotions he was feeling. "It's him Cooter…he did this to me," choked Bo, with a touch to his scarred face. "To Luke…"

"Ok…ok you can tell the police when they get here….just calm down…."

"No!" screamed Bo. "No I won't calm down….I won't…"

Cooter sighed heavily hoping the police would come soon. Bo was mad enough to eat nails and Cooter knew if he let go even for a second Bo would tear the unconscious man apart.

Soon enough, Bo found himself talking softly to a police officer after the man had been taken away. As it turned out Jimmie was James "Lucky" Logan, one of the FBI's most wanted criminals. He had earned his nickname "Lucky" because luck always seemed to be with him allowing him to never get caught.

His luck ran out the day he met Bo Duke.

The officer scratched his cheek with his pencil looking at Bo. "Let me get this straight…you pulled up, asked for directions….and he shot this blond haired man he'd been talking to…"

"Yes sir," said Bo softly. "Be-between the eyes…"

Cooter frowned putting a hand on his friend's shoulder offering the only support he could.

"Hmm…funny…if you saw him…why would he not shoot you too?"

"I…I dunno…musta…known he was out of bullets….m-made me get outta the car…g-go with him," said Bo stuttering a bit.

"So they decided to burn the body…and the only witness to the crime…"

Bo nodded. It was getting harder and harder to talk. The tears that were leaving sloppy wet trails down his cheeks weren't helping much either. "Yes sir."

The officer just continued writing. "So they decided t' make it look like a car accident…"

Bo whimpered nodding. "They…put me in the barn…s-set fire to it…no one woulda known…woulda thought…I was just…just a vagrant…" explained Bo softly with a shiver.

The officer nodded a little. "I see…but…I don't see where your cousin fits into all this…seems to me if they thought they took care of you they'd lay low a while…not seek out your cousin…"

Bo shook his head. They hadn't sought Luke…he'd sought them. "He must've got too close… was trying to find…who…who hurt me…knew too much…"

That had always been Luke's downfall. Sometimes he was too smart for his own good. His smart mouth gained him more meals at the mantelpiece than any of the cousins. His quick mind allowed him to gain rank quickly in the Marines: a sergeant in less than three years. It was for this reason he had been considered a " catch" by the Cong, and why he had been captured instead of killed instantly. Now his intelligence had found trouble again…and this time, he hadn't found a way out.

Cooter sighed. "Bo…you don't know for sure….I know you wanna believe that this fella hurt Luke too…but you don't know…."

"Yes I do know!" exclaimed Bo unclenching one of the hands he'd had balled into fists the whole time, only to reveal a thin circlet of silver. "This is Luke's! I pulled it off that bastard's finger!"

Cooter stared at him. "What…"

"It was his daddy's wedding band…he never…went anywhere without it…" choked Bo showing the engraved initials on the inside: R+R. "See there…Rob…an' Rachel…his folks…"Bo shook his head, his tears now flowing freely down his cheeks. "Was always on his pinky…he…he swam with it…bathed with it….slept with it….it was taken offa him….he took it!"

Cooter swallowed seeing Bo starting to break down. "Bo…"

"He took it!" continued the blond with a sob. "He was bleeding…dying…and he took it!"

Cooter wrapped an arm around Bo's trembling shoulders. The policeman seemed to take the hint. "I think we got enough for now…we'll be in touch…meanwhile, you might wanna get him to a hospital…he may be in shock…"

Cooter nodded. "Will do…c'mon buddy," he added as he gently helped Bo up.

"Tri County…" whimpered Bo.

"Buddy I'm sure there's ones closer than that…"

"Tri County….or I don't go…."

Cooter sighed. "Whatever you say buddy roe."

They pulled up soon enough, Cooter's arm around Bo helping him inside. "Stay here," he said sitting him down in the waiting area. "I'll go find a doc in this place."

He hurried off soon returning with a white coated doctor at his heels. "Bo, this is Doc Marshall…he's gonna take a loo…Bo?!"

Bo was nowhere to be found.


	31. Over

"It's over…we got him…"

Bo's voice sounded loud, even to himself against the stillness of the room though he spoke only in a hushed whisper. "You hear me Luke? It's finally over…"

_Did I just hear what I think I heard?_

Bo let out a quivering sigh as he once more took hold of the pale, clammy hand that rested on the bed beside him. There was no denying that the man in front of him was in bad shape. He lay unconscious, a breathing tube snaking out his mouth, IVs in his arms, dark hair damp against his forehead, the remnants of a feverish sleep. One look at the man's face before him showed that he was in significant pain. It also revealed something else…Luke Duke was not dead.

_Now friends…you have just witnessed a good ol' shuck-n-jive._

"Bet you didn't think it'd work, didja? Well, that's okay…I wasn't so sure either…"

And that was the truth. He had taken a risk…a big risk…but it had worked. Luke was safe…not out of the woods by any means, but safe.

It usually was Luke who came up with the plans, Bo just going along, doing what he was told, trusting his older cousin the way everyone did. Luke truly had a gift when it came to planning and scheming, and more often than not every plan would work just like Luke figured it would.

Bo had learned a thing or two from his cousin.

His plan had formulated simply enough. Bo reasoned that if Luke did see the face of whoever had been at the bottom of this, that person would stop at nothing to make sure the witness never made it to the stand. He knew he couldn't watch over his cousin 24/7 and the fact that anyone dressed in a doctor uniform or as a nurse could come at anytime and take Luke from him unnerved him, so much so that he reasoned the best way to keep Luke safe would be to kill him.

It wasn't easy… and he supposed he would have to go to church for a month of Sundays in order to be forgiven for all the lies he'd had to tell, not only to the friends in Hazzard, but to Jesse and Daisy as well.

"I guess I'll be eatin' from the mantelpiece for a spell," he smiled softly. "But you're here…it worked."

Timing was everything.

That was one of the lessons that Luke had taught him on those long dog-days of summer when both shirtless men would be bent over the engine of the General Lee. "The timing's what we gotta get right, Bo…" Luke would say. "If the timing's off, it's all gonna be off."

Bo reckoned that what was true for the car must be true for the owner. The timing in this ruse would matter the most… if he acted too quick, or not quick enough, all would be lost…including Luke.

"That doc sure thought I was off my rocker…" said Bo with a small laugh remembering the incredulous look the doc had given him when Bo voiced that he wanted Luke taken off the machines for five minutes.

"Sir…if you take him off for that length of time his body may not be able to handle it…"

"If I don't they'll kill him!"

The doctor had shook his head. "Sir, 5 minutes may not seem long to you, but if he can't breathe on his own it is long enough for him to die…"

"He will…"

"Sir…."

"He will!"

As he did with most things, Bo won out in the end.

"Uncle Jesse…an' Daisy miss you…they're gonna come as soon as I tell 'em…I just….wanted to tell ya first…tell ya myself," explained Bo his hand raking through his cousin's dark curls. "I hated lyin' to 'em like that…but….I just didn't see no other way Luke…I had t' do somethin'…. An' I couldn't go after him an' watch over you too," he explained large tears welling in his eyes.

"Luke, will you wake up…please…" he choked. "It's safe now…just open them blue eyes of yours cousin…"

Luke didn't respond.

"You're stronger than this Luke…you proved it when I took ya off that machine…you don't wanna die yet…you ain't ready…I know you ain't….just…just wake up an' show 'em, Luke," he pleaded massaging his cousin's knuckles gently.

Bo sighed hard, leaning over and kissing his cousin's temple softly. "I know…I'm not patient enough," he said with a sigh. "You take all the time you need to come back to me Lukas…just…make sure you come back," he added softly laying his cousin's hand down gently before picking up the phone in the room.

"Wish me luck," he said as he dialed the Duke farm having a feeling that by the time Jesse got through with him, the next wake might be his own.

"WHERE IN TARNATION HAVE YOU BEEN?!" boomed the patriarch, so loudly that Bo had to hold the receiver away from his ear. "Cooter called…couldn't find ya nowhere… I was just about t' come lookin'…."

"I'm fine…listen get Daisy on another line will ya…I got somethin' t' tell ya…."

"Tell us?"

"Uncle Jesse please…it's important…"

Jesse frowned but nodded calling out, "Daisy….Bo says he's got somethin' important t' tell us….wants ya t' pick up the phone in yer room so's he can tell us together." He raised an eyebrow suspiciously. "You ain't in the poky are ya?"

"No, sir," reassured Bo, though he privately thought that having some steel bars between his hind end and Jesse might not be a bad idea.

"I'm here now…." said Daisy from her line.

"Good…" began Bo, wetting his lips trying to figure the best way to say what he had to say.

"Well? What is it you got to tell us together, that was so all-fire important you hid away who knows where for the past hour instead of bein' seen to by a doc?" demanded Jesse.

Bo wasn't surprised. Jesse did the same thing he always did when he thought trouble was looming-point out the obvious wrong-doings in order to cast doubt in the sinner, and stack the cards in his favor.

Swallowing, he took a deep breath. "You….you're…gonna be real mad at me….m-might even hate me…"

"We would never hate you sugar," chimed in sweet Daisy.

Bo sure wished he could believe that. "See…thing is…" He swallowed hard shifting on his feet. "I lied…to ya both…"

"Bout what?" asked Jesse, a sterness in his voice that made Bo quake in his boots.

"Luke," answered Bo softly.

Daisy bit her lip. "Wh-what about Luke?"

"He…he ain't dead…."

"What…."

"He ain't dead, Uncle Jesse," repeated Bo a small tremble in his voice. "He's right here…beside me."

"WHAT?!"

"But…I saw him…he…" began Daisy, wanting to believe him.

"I had the docs take him off the machine…t' play up his death…so he'd be safe...he was off the machines for 5 minutes…tops…."

"You tellin' me that…you been lyin'….all this time….that…Luke…..is alive?!" yelled the patriarch.

"Yes sir Uncle Jesse….that's….what I'm sayin'."

A choke sounded from over the earpiece as Daisy put her hand over her mouth. Her big brother was alive.

"Lord have mercy," mumbled Jesse. "We's on our way…you stay put, ya hear?!"

Bo knew better than to say anything but "yes sir" at the moment. He knew that he was still likely going to get an earful from Jesse just as soon as the patriarch reached the hospital. He hung up the phone, sitting a bit more firmly in his chair beside Luke, hoping that come tomorrow he still would have a hind end to sit on.

_**What can I say…it is the time of year for miracles….please be kind and leave a revi**__**ew-Jordyn**_


	32. Holding On

_To all my readers I feel I owe an explanation- this story was put on hold because of one particular person on this site: Mrs. Luke Duke. That person insisted on messaging me day after day after day demanding that I update...this person even harassed me on another web-site I frequented (needless to say I no longer go there). It takes the fun out of writing when you know that every time you write you will get harassed and bullied by someone into updating. I say this because I am going to attempt to write again...Mrs. Luke Duke...or any other pen names you have on here...please leave me alone...if you do not...or if someone else does the same the story will be put on hold yet again...but my readers will understand that it is not that I don't want to write...or that the story is incomplete...I don't want to be harassed and I don't want something I love to do to bring me aggravation. That all being said, let's try again and see if we can get this story done!_

Bo was sitting beside Luke when Jesse and Daisy burst inside the room. He looked up nervously as they stared, jaws dropped, at the person laying in the bed...still pale...still motionless...but unmistakably still Luke.

Bo tried to speak first but words failed him as Jesse shook his head. His youngest had lied to him...not only to him but to Daisy and the rest of Hazzard. "WHAT IN SAM HILL WERE YOU THINKIN" BOY?"

"Uncle Jesse," murmured Daisy. "Your blood pressure..."

"HANG MY BLOOD PRESSURE! DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOU HAVE PUT US THROUGH?"

Bo hung his head tears welling in his eyes. He knew far too well.

Jesse sighed heavily shaking his head. "I shouldna yelled like that," he admitted taking a deep breath, " but you know you can trust us...why...would you lie...especially...about this?"

"I had to..." began Bo his lip quivering. "I knew...they'd be coming back...to finish what they started."

"That don't make no sense..." began the patriarch.

"It does...if they heard...he was dead...they wouldn't come after him...and it gave me time...to find 'em."

"How did you know...it was them..." asked Daisy softly.

"I didn't at first..." he sniffed, as he stroked Luke's hand with his thumb fingering the circlet of silver. "Til I saw the ring...when Enos found Luke he wasn't wearin' it...and his wallet was gone...I didn't find the wallet but...that bastard was wearing his ring...like he owned it...like it was some sort of sick trophy to him..." Bo couldn't continue choking over his words.

Jesse sighed. "You lied...you lied to yer family..."

Bo simply nodded.

Jesse shook his head. "But I can't be mad atcha... ya may have saved his life."

"There...there's somethin' else...I better tell ya..."

Jesse and Daisy stared at him not sure how many more surprises they could handle.

"They...drilled the hole...drained...what they could in...in his head..." he faltered feeling very uneasy realizing he had taken a lot of liberty with Luke's life without his uncle's consent.

"And...?"

"The swelling's gone down...but...they said it's hard to say...about complications an' such... 'til he wakes up..."

"But...he made it through that...that means...he's fightin' don't it?" asked Daisy hopefully.

Jesse nodded resting his hand on his eldest's cheek, tears in his eyes. "I recon it does."

"I'm sorry Daisy...Uncle Jesse...I just..." began Bo in a whisper.

"You did what ya felt ya had to do...I dunno that Luke wouldna done any different if that was you in that bed..." he reasoned.

Bo gave a small sigh of relief as Daisy squeezed his shoulder encouragingly. He then gave a small gasp. Daisy wasn't the only one giving him a squeeze.

Luke was holding his hand back...weakly, and still unconsciously...but holding on...holding on.


	33. Whimpers in the Dark

"Uncle Jesse..." said Bo in a half-whisper as he motioned to the hand holding on to his.

The patriarch swallowed, stroking Luke's arm. "Luke...Luke..."

Daisy bit her lip. She knew better than to get her hopes up. And yet she felt the urge to encourage him. Maybe...just maybe...if he knew how much they wanted him to...he'd wake up. "Luke...sugar...wake up, darlin'."

Bo continued holding his hand, stroking his knuckles with his thumb. The bruises were mostly healed now, but the stitches on his head, and his scraped hands made him look like a tattered rag doll. "Luke, brother... c'mon Luke, you can do it..."

There was no response. Bo looked at his uncle trying to hold back the tears. Daisy hid her face against her uncle's overalls.

"Now, now..." began Jesse rubbing Daisy's back as he spoke. "You know Luke...he never was one for doin' things when everyone expected... he..." Jesse stopped. "Did you hear that?"

Bo sniffed. "Hear what?"

"I thought I heard...listen!"

All was quiet in the room except a small whimper sounding from the bed.

"Luke! Luke that's it! Wake up! Wake up!" Bo rubbed Luke's hand vigorously.

_Now do you all suppose?_

Luke's eyes slowly opened. The clear blue thought to be lost forever was staring at each one of them in turn.

Jesse spoke first. "My boy...My Luke..."

The man in the bed stared at him, a confused expression on his face.

"Luke...you're ok..." Daisy leaned over to touch the side of his face affectionately.

Luke jerked away.

_Uh oh. Now somethin' aint right...no one in their right mind would turn away from the touch of a pretty girl...especially when it's Daisy._

Jesse stood up patting Daisy's arm seeing the hurt on her face. "I think we best get the doc...why don't you come with me Daisy?"

Daisy nodded, standing up, glad for an excuse to get out of the room and hide her tears.

Bo swallowed. Luke was still clinging to his hand. "Luke...Luke...it's okay...whatever's wrong...we'll fix it..."

He looked down at the hand holding his own. It was trembling.

A few hours later, the family stood quietly looking at Luke through the windows of the room, the doctor's words hitting each of them hard. Brain-damage. To what extent was hard to say, he said, but the evidence was clear.

Jesse shook his head sadly. All of his kids had gifts...Bo was born with a steering wheel in his hands and a smile on his face...sweet Daisy, aside from being the most beautiful girl in Hazzard, had a heart of gold to match..and Luke...Luke was smart. The boy had played hookey more than he actually attended classes, but his grades had consistently been at the top of his class. Jesse had always told him he had a mind like a steel trap. The boy remembered everything... and there wasn't much he didn't understand. Book-smart...yes he was that, but he also had instinct...and it usually served him well.

A tear dripped down the old man's face, an arm around Daisy and Bo. To have Luke go from understanding everything to not even comprehending the simplest phrases. To have him recede from memorizing license plates at a glance to not even recognizing the faces he'd known all his life. It was devastating.

Bo didn't know what to think either. Except that it was his fault that Luke was in this state...and somehow or other Bo had to bring him back.


End file.
